In Australia, camels are enjoying a culinary renaissance decades after their accidental introduction to the continent. Brought in 180 years ago to aid explorers and transport goods across arid regions, these animals are now at the center of a burgeoning food industry. Paul Martin purchased Summer Land, an emu farm in the very Scenic Rim, and he’s transformed it into a booming agri- and eco-tourism hub. It serves visitors an array of camel cuisine from camel pies to camel burgers and exotic drinks such as “camelccinos” and gelato.
Australia’s feral camel population is booming, with estimates ranging from 300,000 to 1 million camels. Yet, this rapid growth emphasizes the need for sustainable management now more than ever. Council bosses have said that unless something is done, population growth for such feral creatures will see their ranks doubling every eight to ten years. While some view camel farming as a solution to the growing population, others express concerns regarding the effectiveness of this approach.
Summer Land’s Rise in Camel Cuisine
Over the last ten years, Paul Martin’s Summer Land has grown into a huge draw. It today attracts the attention of both residents and visitors to the place. The farm is home to some big beautiful camels. Beyond that, it makes the path to camel meat and milk a reality in mainstream culinary life.
Summer Land serves up a smorgasbord of dishes that showcase the chewy, mildly gamy meat. Visitors can taste camel meat pies, rolls, burgers and curries. The farm has been paving new ground with camel milk, producing everything from lattes to gelato and even vodka. Martin’s long-term vision is that camel meat becomes an accepted dietary staple chicken, an accessible, affordable, convenient source of protein.
“Success in this operation is basically getting camel milk and meat mainstream.” – Paul Martin
Chef Heath Betts has helmed the push to raise awareness for exotic meats at farmers’ markets over the past few years. Camel meat has great potential for America’s culinary scene, he says. His two stalls, one in Brisbane and the other on the Gold Coast, sell around 200kg of camel meat a month. He’s convinced that the more people know about camel products, the more they will be accepted on the consumer market.
“A lot of people that turn their nose up at the products have never tried it.” – Chef Heath Betts
Community and Economic Impact
Creation of an industry producing camel meat and milk would create jobs in rural areas that would be welcome. As Paul Martin recently wrote, supporting camel products could help stimulate local economies and deal with the problem of our feral population.
Emily Riggans, another advocate for camel products, notes the growing interest among communities—particularly North African and Arab populations in southeast Queensland. She’s quick to point out that as knowledge and understanding goes up, so will the public demand for camel products.
“If you think too much about it, it’s daunting, but day to day, it’s exciting.” – Emily Riggans
Dr. Carol Booth, a policy director with the local council, wants the world to know that large-scale culling of camels is ongoing. Hunting remains one of the key tools used to manage their population. Foale’s main issue with this idea is that breeding all these camels would be a solution to overpopulation.
“We’ve seen it with deer and goats — they’re treated as resources, and the populations have increased.” – Dr. Carol Booth
Cultural Shifts and Challenges
Cultural acceptance is crucial for the success of camel products in Australia. Paul Martin recognizes that most Australians would not feel comfortable eating camel meat, simply because they aren’t used to the idea or don’t understand it. He remains optimistic about changing attitudes.
“There are a few reasons why people are stand-offish around eating camel — but it’s changing.” – Paul Martin
Martin is intent on taking on Australia’s alleged “cultural problem with camels,” helping people tolerate and accept them as a new, more sustainable food source. He is optimistic that if managed intelligently, the exploding camel population can be an economic boon. Moreover, this is key to addressing the environmental degradation resulting from overpopulation.
Dr. Booth challenges whether depending on camel farming really solves the issue. She believes that although it is an interesting economic opportunity, it isn’t a good way to control the population.
“It might sound like a win-win, make money and solve a problem, but in reality, it’s not based on biology and it’s not effective population control.” – Dr. Carol Booth
