Adventurers from across the country have flocked to north Queensland to relive what might be the greatest endurance race in the nation's history. The 'great Australian camel race' was a trek spanning more than 3 thousand kilometres -- from Uluru to the gold coast in 1988.
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00:00It was the bicentennial year, and 69 camel riders set out on a journey across the harsh
00:08Australian desert.
00:12The gruelling race from the bush to the beach took three months.
00:16Competitors had to endure torrential rains, fatigue and outbreaks of illness.
00:21I don't think so many people have ever gone to such lengths to have a terrible time, but
00:26we had a lot of fun in between.
00:28Competitors dropped out along the way, but those who finished still share a special bond.
00:38Now they've reunited on a farm in the Whitsundays, organised by the son of race winner Gordon
00:45O'Connell.
00:46This is our heritage, and this one-off event really showcased the toughness, the hardness
00:52of these people, and also gave us all someone to look up to.
00:56It was done, and I don't think there'll ever be another race that distance, ever.
01:02For former jockey and marathon runner Jill Colwell, it was one of the toughest moments
01:07of her life, but also one of her greatest achievements.
01:11It's a good lesson in life that you'll come across things that are very difficult to do,
01:17and there's ways to achieve them.
01:19We're 36 years down the track and we're still all going, we still do adventurous things
01:24and risk our lives.