The vast sand dunes of the Simpson Desert are a long way from the tiny town of Barellan but for Australia’s oldest living cameleer, it was an opportunity to meet his old camel mates for one last time.

At the grand age of 105, John Wilkinson, or “Wilco”, is a legend in the Australian camel industry and referred to with reverence as the elder statesman.

He may be confined to a wheel chair these days but at the age of 98 he rode a camel into the Simpson Desert, at the rate of 20km a day.

Wilco had the chance to reminisce over those many desert crossings he completed at the Barellan’s Good Old Days Festival in October.

He swapped stories with his mates and cameleers, South Australian Phil Gee, Andrew Harper OAM, Outback Camel Company, and Rodney Sansom, Oakfield Ranch, Anna Bay, NSW.

Wilco hauled himself to his feet and stood proudly for a photo with Rodney and Andrew in front of the 2026 Australian record team of 32 camels harnessed to an historic Australian built waggon.

Wilco hails from Leeton, in southern NSW, and he was born in April 1921.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the Australian Imperial Forces, fighting in the New Guinea campaign, making him the nation’s oldest living veteran.

He married Jo in 1949, and the couple farmed for many years in South Australia.

Wilco’s career with camels began in 1976, a time made famous by author and cameleer Robyn Davidson’s trek across the Simpson on her own with just four camels and a dog.

At the age of 84 Wilco was breaking in camels for Phil Gee’s Explore the Outback Camel Safaris.

He had been making trips into the interior with Rex Ellis, founder of the Outback Camel Company since 1986.

Wilco then went on to ride his own camel with the company’s new owner Andrew Harper, making a further 26 trips into the Simpson Desert.

In 2018, Wilco made his final foray into the Simpson riding a camel at the age of 98, bringing the curtain down on an incredible 30-year association with camels and cameleering.

Rodney Sansom supplied a camel to Gee and Harper in 2009 and ultimately, it was the animal Wilco used to make his final assault of the Simpson.

Riders on the trip recall how they would end each day covered in filthy dirt, but Wilco would emerge freshly shaven and spotlessly clean.

Even at the age of 105, Wilko was quick to pick up Rodney on the collars used in the record team. In his day, camels were harnessed using regular horse collars, turned upside down.

“You are spot on mate. These collars were specially made for the camel, so we don’t have to turn them upside down. The camels pull a third of the weight from the top rather than third from the bottom like a horse,” Rodney says.

Harper recalled inheriting Wilco with the Outback Camel Company when he bought it from Rex Ellis in the year 2000 and says Wilco made complete crossing of the Simpson at least once.

“Wilco came with the package, and he was coming out to the desert with us every year since 2000, and prior to that from 1986 to 2000, to prepare the warm-up camp. He would ride for half the day and walk the rest of the day as the senior cameleer.

“He had a wealth of experience and knowledge in camels, horses, sheep and cattle that would get passed down to us cameleers.

“Sitting around the campfire at night was an absolute pleasure because of the life stories he could tell.

“As a jackaroo he went on the Ghan up to Alice Springs in 1937 and how he was in Darwin when it was bombed by the Japanese and he was armed with a just a broomstick.”

Harper hosted Wilko’s 100th birthday at his Queensland home in 2021.

“At the age of 98 he was still coming out with us for up to a month. He would drive his Toyota to the edge of the Simpson and we picked him up. He would walk until first break in the mornings then ride his own camel over 20km per day,” he says.

“The only thing that pulled him up was covid restrictions.”

Harper says Wilco remained “intensely interested in what was going on” and his curiosity has not diminished.