It's not every day you get to see Clydesdales, camels, mules and bullocks pulling carriages, wagons and wagonettes. In fact, it's the only ride of it's kind not just in Australia, but across the world.
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Now in it's third year, the Tribute to the Teams ride is about more than adventure. Forged by a group of passionate Barellan locals, the tour has gathered people from all across Australia to take a step back in time to connect with our history, our land and our people - all the while raising money for a worthy cause.
The stories told around a camp fire, the camaraderie, and the absolute belonging to something as intangible as the past is clear.
The Area News caught up with the team at the historic Moombooldool Station shearing shed for a barbecue hosted by farmer Tony Flagg.
Waking up to the grunts of camels and the whinny of horses talking across the paddock, nothing could be more nostalgic, a sense of peace found in the cacophony.
Raising money for Motor Neuron Disease, Barellan Clydesdale president Bruce Bandy said by day six, they had raised about $8000 out of their $10,000 target. Half of which was clinched at Ardlethan with a charity auction.
"The locals are what keeps it all going, the support group here," Mr Bandy said.
Although humble about the work, the ride was sure to have been a mammoth organisational task - with the 110km route planning and the bringing of people together from as far as the Northern Territory.
But the pleasures can be seen in interesting relationships developed - and not just with the people.
"The biggest ones were the camels - the horses were frightened of the camels and the camels were afraid of the horses. The handlers were pretty sensible, and they gradually got closer and closer," Mr Bandy explained.
"They still stare at each other pretty hard when they get close though."
Peter O'Brien, who alongside with his partner Joan lived in Barellan back in the day - playing a pivotal role as coach in their football team's revival in 1980/81 - took Mr Bandy up on his offer to take part with his trusty steed Bandit tagging along for the drive.
"The people here, sitting around the campfire and sharing stories, doing it all together, it's just an amazing experience," he said.
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Accompanied by 24 paying passengers, the team includes Central Australia cameleer and founding father of the Alice Springs Cup Chris Hill, Australian Draught Horse breeders Steve and Jan Johnson, of Lake Cargelligo, and bullocky Phil Thompson, Numinbah Valley, Queensland.
Keith Sheather from Adelong and Mick Batchelor from Grong Grong participated in the Tribute to the Teams ride, dressed in their Riverina Light Horse regalia.
"What you see here every morning you would never see in a normal day. A bullock team yolked up, camel, horse, donkey, light horse, all sorts of wagons, buggies, sulkies - in the early part of the century you would've seen it everywhere," Mr Sheather said.
"You'd be hard pressed to find it anywhere else in Australia," Mr Batchelor added.
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