Two years ago Perth businessman John Elliot decided it was time for a serious lifestyle change.
After thinking about his options, John decided to embark on an epic trip across Australia.
A motorbike was a possibility, but his mother counselled against that.Instead, he chose camel transport and bought a clutch of camels at Millmerran.
The great adventure was no mere whim: there was much planning, preparation – and training with the camels to be done over 18 months.
Ahead of that, John had to dismantle his life in Perth where he was successful in his financial services business and owned a night club, sell his house, sell his sports car and clear the decks.
“That took about 18 months” he said. He had an enjoyable life in Perth, he acknowledges.
“There was no single particular catalyst for the change” he said.
“But I had noticed that people experience a life changing issue, perhaps go bankrupt, get divorced, have a serious health scare, have the profound life changing movement and realise that life and time is important.
“I didn’t see the point in waiting for something bad to happen in my life before I decided to go and really enjoy it.”
He left Perth in February last year and started learning how to tame and train camels.
“I got my camels in August and got rid of my car in April. Mum said motorbikes were too dangerous and at dinner one night someone suggested camels and I thought, ‘yeah, camels sound great.”
“I Googled ‘how do you buy a camel’ next day and it evolved from there.
“Within a month I was training camels.” Now he has five camels and one dog as travelling companions.
John started his journey at Coonarr Beach, Queensland.
He arrived in Narrabri on Thursday from Moree and camped his camels at the Showground.
Where next? “I only really start planning where I am heading next the day before I leave.
“So I started planning yesterday and will go to Baan Baa and Boggabri.
“Ultimately I aim to go to Tasmania, via Canberra, and then over to West Australia.
“If I make it all the way to Tasmania and then across to WA it will be the first-ever camel train expedition which has been through every state in Australia” John adds.
Many people would envy his adventure.
“Yes, a lot of people would probably like to do it, but many would consider it a massive backward step in their life” John suggests.
“I had to get rid of everything.
“Someone said the other day ‘you’ve pressed ‘pause’ on your life.’
“I believe I haven’t pressed pause, I’ve finally pressed ‘play.’
“A lot of people can’t go against the stream, everyone is constantly paying off the home, paying off the car, tied up with commitments.
“It took me 18 months to unwind from all that, not renewing the mobile phone contract, saying ‘no’ to business opportunities that come up. You completely clear your schedule.
“That was an 18 month process before I started day one of training the camels. But on day one when I started training I was completely clear of obligations.
“Someone said the other day I have ‘traded a five star lifestyle for a five million star adventure.’
“If the business went bust or I lost all my money, and then started doing this, it’s not as powerful a message as voluntarily saying, ‘right, I’m going to give that stuff away.
“Because it’s not what life is all about.”
John estimates he will be on the road for about another 18 months to two years. Sometime after Tasmania, his route will take him up to Alice Springs and across the Centre to WA.
Meanwhile, John Elliot will be a guest of Narrabri Rotary on Thursday night, with a Q and A session.
He may trigger a few Rotarians to share his adventure?
“Maybe, but I think some may drop off when we get to the Simpson Desert” he laughs.
To order photos from this page click here
