THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS why people live where they do. Here’s the very short version, according to James Young, of why he and partner Elliat Rich have been living in Alice Springs for the past 10 years: “When you narrow it down, there aren’t many places in Australia where there’s vast professional opportunities and camels.” As Elliat puts it, “In our hearts, we knew that was where we were going without having to go through a long process of articulating why.”
When you hear their story, it seems an inevitable choice. While others in their early twenties were exploring Europe or Asia, Elliat and James, who had met at art school, were involved in a two-year camel trek: one year in the planning, making the gear (including camel saddles) and “training the animals – there
