Can you imagine Cable Beach in Broome without a Camel train meandering past around sunset time?

It’s unthinkable! Doesn’t seem quite right, yet there was a time way back when, well after the dinosaurs disappeared, that there wasn’t even a camel within a coo-ee of Broome.

Like the Boab tree, the Frangipani flower and its sweet scent and the swaying palm trees; Camels too are introduced to Broome.

So how did the camels get to Broome? Here starts the story of Abdul Latif Casley, born Hilton John, and his enormous ongoing contribution to Broome that never was meant to be.

His story, like so many from back then, was built on initial hardship and misfortune until good luck and good timing changed things.  Read More here.

Cas, as he was called by all, was Broome’s original Cameleer. With no initial intention of coming to Broome at all with a fleet of six (6) camels he ultimately launched his first Camel tour here in 1987.

A full day camel safari. Full day, lunch was provided for grand total of $15. Can you imagine?

A Broome Hotel Manager approached Cas soon after commencing operations and asked if he could provide a unique sunset experience for his guests, twice a week and the rest is now history.

Completely by accident Cas created the now iconic Cable Beach Sunset Camel Tour and is therefore ultimately responsible for the iconic images that now are so prominent in our tourism identity.

Not bad for a bloke that got ripped for $500 a camel in Katherine after walking them from Alice Springs and kept coming to Broome because he didn’t want to walk back to Alice.

Can you just imagine if that bloke in Katherine had paid up for Cas’ 6 camels? Would Broome have Camels now?

Probably not.