In 1988 I went on a trip out through Western Queensland to the Northern Territory boarder. From Urandangi I followed the boarder south via station tracks till I hit the road running East to Boulia. 

I called in at Roxborough Downs and had a cup of tea with the owner, his wife and kids. Nice people doing it hard with the drought. Met the new school teacher for the kids, she had just driven up the day before so I was able to follow her tracks south.The road through to Boulia was a mess. 

The Bicentennial Camel Race across Australia, had just passed through and there had been a bit of rain. The army had a team in the race and managed to bog two Unimogs half way between the NT boarder and Boulia.- what a mess.
The road had ruts in it almost a metre deep and mud holes everywhere. It made for a slow trip. I went through Boulia and on to Hamilton - a pub in the middle of nowhere. The tail enders in the camel race were staying the night there. Had a good night. The army team was there - devastated - The vet had just told them they had to pull out, the camel was unfit. Poor Buggers. 

There was a group of feral hippies called "Rough as Guts" who entered the race with no backing, no money and no camels. They went out into the desert in Western Australia and caught camels and tamed them. Their back up vehicle was a 30 year old Land Rover. They were camped in the bush a few kilometres west of the pub, living on dried food and kangaroo meat.