Saddle up, camel rides return

“We do short camel walks, about five minutes, I’ve got a loading platform so the camels don’t have to get up and down,” he said.

He won’t be bringing just any camels, his fleet is led by a 25-year-old camel, Roman, followed by a cast of hard-working camels.

“I’ve had Roman for 19 years, he came out of the desert and the second camel will be called Handsome. He was born at my place,” Mr Hodge said.

“Then Buddy and Sid, they’re 12-year-old camels, I got them when they were about six months old and Pretty boy, he's 23 years old, I’ve had him since he was about five years old.”

The camel rides have been at the expo for 15 years and have no plans of stopping.

“It’s a really good event, and it’s got a good atmosphere,” he said.

With over three decades of camel-handling expertise, Peter has encountered riders from all walks of life and developed a deep affection for these gentle giants.

“It’s a pretty good job, and most people are pretty good with the camels,” he said.

“I do get a lot of enjoyment of the people enjoying the camels because they sometimes get a bad name.

“They’re unique, and like dogs, they’re very cheeky.”

Like most things, there are some people who are a bit nervous when it comes to camels, but Peter is an expert in relaxing a tense rider.

“I love when people are scared, and you convince him to stay on, and they say at the end that the ride was good,” he said.

“That is the best part, that they conquer their fear, and they do something out of their comfort zone, so that’s very rewarding.”