Robyn Davidson
Robyn Davidson is the author and protagonist of the book. She is 26 years old when she decides to undertake a solo journey across the Australian desert, even though she has no wilderness experience or…
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Rick
Rick is a young photographer around the same age as Davidson. The two meet in Alice Springs and Rick encourages Davidson to apply for sponsorship from National Geographic. When she succeeds, he becomes…
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Eddie
Eddie, who sometimes calls himself Mr. Eddie, is an older Aboriginal man who accompanies Davidson through one leg of her journey. Eddie is relaxed and fun-loving, and he seems to Davidson to represent all the…
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Kurt
Kurt is an Austrian-born rancher who lives in Alice Springs with his wife, Gladdy. Kurt is skilled at handling camels and agrees to train Davidson and eventually give her camels in exchange for her…
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Diggity
Diggity is Davidson’s beloved dog, a small mutt who is unfailingly loyal and loving. She accompanies Davidson throughout her entire journey and is always depicted as well-behaved and unusually intelligent, sometimes leading Davidson home…
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Get the entire Tracks: A Woman’s Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback LitChart as a printable PDF.
Sallay Mahomet
Sallay Mahomet is one of the few camel trainers in Alice Springs. Although he initially refuses to work with Davidson, he eventually agrees to employ her after she flees from Kurt. Sallay is…
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Gladdy
Gladdy is Kurt’s wife and becomes a close friend of Davidson’s. Although she is terrorized by her cruel husband, she is also a strong and independent woman who becomes an important source of…
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Glendle
Glendle is the white community advisor to the Aboriginal settlement of Pipalyatjara. Davidson and Eddie meet Glendle during their visit to the settlement and he welcomes them warmly, providing a much-needed source of conversation and…
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Ada Baxter
Ada Baxter is a vivacious Aboriginal woman who is Davidson’s neighbor in Alice Springs. The two become good friends and Ada often behaves like a mother to Davidson. Their relationship illuminates for Davidson the…
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Jenny
Jenny is one of Davidson’s closest friends in Alice Springs. Though little is revealed about her personality, she is repeatedly a source of support for Davidson, helping her prepare for the trip, comforting her…
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Toly
Along with Jenny, Toly is Davidson’s other closest friend in Alice Springs. He is an activist for Aboriginal rights and also works as a teacher in Utopia, an Aboriginal cattle station. Davidson describes…
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Dookie
Dookie is one of Davidson’s young male camels. She acquires him from the ranch that formerly belonged to Kurt. Dookie is described as clownish and affectionate, and Davidson often rides him during the…
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Zeleika
Zeleika is Davidson’s young female camel, whom she gets from Sallay Mahomet. Zeleika is spirited and bossy, and she becomes pregnant after running away one night. She gives birth to baby Goliath…
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Bub
Bub is one of Davidson’s young male camels. She acquires him from the ranch that formerly belonged to Kurt. Bub does not like to lead but rather idolizes Dookie, whom he follows…
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Kate
Kate is an older female camel whom Davidson acquires from Sallay Mahomet. She has been abused previously and hates humans, though Davidson adores her and plans to use her to carry supplies during the…
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Clivie
Clivie is an eleven-year-old Aboriginal boy whom Davidson meets through Ada Baxter. Although Clivie is kind and intelligent, he has a penchant for stealing things and eventually gets in serious trouble. He is separated…
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Peter Muir
Peter Muir is an experienced bushman whom Rick introduces to Davidson near the end of her trip. He offers Davidson and her friends his spare house outside Wiluna as a place to hide out from…
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Minor Characters
Goliath
Goliath is a baby camel born to Zeleika. Davidson describes him as adorable and spoiled, and he is constantly greedy for his mother’s milk. During the trek, Davidson often ties Goliath up near her camp as a way to keep Zeleika and the other camels from wandering away.
Blue
Blue is a sweet older dog who originally belongs to Gladdy. When Gladdy moves away, she gives Blue to Davidson, who adores him. Not long after, Blue dies after being poisoned and Davidson learns that someone has been poisoning dogs in Alice Springs for years without being caught.
Julie
Julie is a friend of Davidson’s in Alice Springs. She lives with Davidson for a while at Basso’s farm and helps her find her camels when they disappear briefly, shortly before the start of the trek.
