Camel race day all in train

Broome is famous for shimmering Cable Beach, breathtaking sunsets, quality pearls, and the cultural spectacle of the Shinju Matsuri Festival.

Now a Broome businessman wants to put the town on the map for something more quirky - camel racing.

John Geappen, managing director of Red Sun Camels on Cable Beach, announced the inaugural event would be held at the Broome Turf Club, on August 30.

The success of a mini camel racing tournament in Broome last October, using his camels and staff as jockeys, provided the catalyst for him to "take it to the next level".

Mr Geappen wants the Broome Camel Cup to rival the popular annual camel racing festival in Alice Springs, first held in 1970 on a dry river bed.

The idea is to give organisations such as the Kyle Andrews Foundation, the Lions Club and Broome Rotary a share of the earnings in exchange for their manpower, use of equipment and knowledge to run it as a co-operative.

The event would consist of six afternoon camel races, with the first starting at 1pm.

It would include a bookmaker, licensed bars and $500 in pretend money provided to adults on entry.

The Monopoly-style Broome Camel Cup tender would be used to bid for prizes in excess of $30,000 auctioned after the last race.

Mr Geappen said a further percentage of money raised would be set aside in trust to enable the event to provide the biggest prize money offered in the camel racing industry.

"This is to encourage a significant number of the camel racing fraternity from around Australia to travel to Broome to compete in what will be the largest event of its kind in Australia," he said.

"It will include a national marketing and promotional campaign."

Mr Geappen said the goal was to create a fun family event that raised awareness of the region while providing economic benefits.

Broome Turf Club manager Doug Milner said the organisation was happy to hire its premises to Red Sun Camels.

"We are very willing to do that and help as much as we can as we believe this would have great social and economic benefit to the local community, while attracting tourists," he said.

Gates open at 11am, with last drinks at 8pm.

Free buses would be available to the races throughout the day.

Entry is $50 for adults and $20 for children.