More commonly known as Wamboden abattoir, located 30km north of Alice Springs. This facility processes camels.
Other Names
- Wamboden abattoir
Current Operation
- Facility can process cattle and camels.
- Company operating – Centralian Gold2
Location
Owner
- G Dann.1
Operation
- Wamboden abattoir is located 30 kilometres north of Alice Springs
History
1995
- Central Australian Camel Industry Association (CACIA) is formed to develop markets for trade in live camels and camel meat.4
- Estimated population in Australia of feral camels in 1995 – 500,000 head4
- Northern Territory feral camel population estimated to be 60,000 head.4
Source http://www.camelsaust.com.au. 24/01/2015
Distribution of Feral camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia 1995 (shaded lighter orange)
- Camels to be processed at an abattoir are required to be4
- between 3-10 years old4
- < 400kg, >600kg. Larger animals can’t be handled.4
- Camels must have previous handling before transported to abattoirs.4
- if killed when stressed the meat will be darker, taste poorly and not have a good shelf life.4
- Bulls are not to be in rut (in season), they have a concentrated body odour which makes the meat not fit for human consumption4
- Cows in final stages of pregnancy must not be sent to the abattoir and cows recently calved will be rejected.4
2008
- Northern Territory population of feral camels now estimated to be 250,000 – 300,000 head5
- Located over 875,000 square kilometres of southern NT5
- Causing significant damage to the environment, degradation of wetlands, destruction of vegetation5
- Caring for Our Country initiative – 4 year national project – Australian Feral Camel Management Project (AFCMP)5.
- reduce the numbers of feral camels commencing 2009/20105
- Aerial culling5
2010
- February. Contract possibly to be signed to supply up to 50 tonnes of camel meat a week2
- Slaughter about 400 camels per week2
- boning and processing to be conducted in South Australia2
- Supply Australian domestic markets2
- 10% of the Australian Muslim population2
- Require a Halal slaughter2
- Slaughter about 400 camels per week2
- October. Federal Government is conducting a camel cull $19M to remove 25,000 animals3
- Federal Minister for Agriculture – Joe Ludwig is considering all options for camels including live export and export of processed meat.3
- NT Government say camel trade is not viable and cull must continue to protect the environment.3
2013
- AFCMP project to June 2013 – culled 52,000 camels in the NT by aerial shooting
- another 12,000 taken on the ground
- Estimated to be a 60% reduction of animals in Western desert and 20% in Simpson desert.
- Estimate a further 25-30,000 animals to be removed in 2013
- Peterborough abattoir (SA) and Caboolture (QLD) are currently processing 10,000 -15,000 camels per year.
- have the capacity to process many more
- significant challenges in the supply chain and high transport costs.
- Wambonden is processing up to 20 camels a week.
- Portable abattoirs considered – difficulty to obtain the meat hygiene standards for human consumption
- Pet meat application for camels is a possibility however risks are assoicated with Indospicine contamination.
- Toxin found in plants of genus Indigofera. Toxin accumulates in tissue of horses and camels and cause death of dogs if they eat the meat.
- Pet meat application for camels is a possibility however risks are assoicated with Indospicine contamination.
Sources
- Personal communication.
- ‘Alice springs abattoir to produce halal camel meat’ Daily Telegraph 22.02.2010
- ‘Ludwig not ruling out central Australian camel industry’ ABC rural. 21.10.2010
- http://www.camelsaust.com.au
- Alice Springs Rural Review December 2012.
