HUMP DAY Camels on the bridge

IF you saw the camel train crossing the Tasman Bridge or ambling the streets of Hobart on Sunday morning, here’s why: owner John Arthur Elliott is travelling the country with his five camels on a grand adventure.

They crossed the bridge about 6am, before stopping briefly in Salamanca Square and continuing the journey to the Hobart Showgrounds.

Mr Elliott said it was a spectacular entry to Hobart and, while the traffic was light, a few motorists were curious to know what was going on.

“It was either a confused look or a very happy face,’’ he said. “It always makes you a little bit nervous — the camels were wild three years ago — and you are essentially taking five animals where there is no plan B and, once you’re on, forward is the only option.

“They’ve travelled about 4100km so far, on a lot of roads and highways so they’re seasoned.”

Half- way across the bridge, police arrived to escort the team the rest of the way.

Mr Elliott said he had been a well- paid CEO of a finance company in Perth, WA, had a nice car, “fancy” house and

“all the trimmings”, but was searching for something different.

“Every decision I was making in life was based around a financial decision,’’ he said.

“I thought there was more to life and I wanted to chase a bit of adventure and when someone mentioned camels at dinner one night, something clicked.

“The next day I Googled how do you buy a camel? And the journey took off.”

Mr Elliott began training the animals and worked out what they could carry, and has since developed a connection with them.

He started his journey in April last year from North Queensland and plans to visit every state and territory by the end of next year.

He will spend Christmas and the new year in Tasmania and return to the mainland towards the end of January.

Mr Elliott has also shared an important health message, saying a health check- up prior to his journey detected a stage one melanoma in the centre of his back. “If I wasn’t doing the trip, I wouldn’t have discovered it,’’ he said.

He encouraged people to get an annual skin check and support the charity Beard Season, which champions the early detection of melanoma.

See johnelliott.com.au