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Afghan CameleersPrint Page Print this page

Afghan Camels Plaque
Afghan Camels Plaque

Photographs supplied by Diane Watson

The Afghan Camels Silhouette commemorates the Afghan cameleers and the pioneering spirit of the Wyndham Area.

The Afghan Cameleers played a significant role in the development and settlement of the Kimberley region and particularly in and around the Wyndham area. Once gold was discovered at Halls Creek and Wyndham was proclaimed a port, the Cameleers were required to move goods and supplies from the port to the Goldfields. They interacted well with Aboriginal people and many Aboriginal descendants of Wyndham owe their mixed heritage to this interaction.

 

Location

Address:Great Northern Highway, Wyndham, 6740
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -15.488353
Long: 128.125672
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Settlement

Dedication

Front Inscription

AFGHAN CAMELS SILHOUETTE

Wyndham's story is one of true multiculturalism and pioneering spirit. 

The Indigenous peoples of this area, Chinese traders, grocers and farmers, Afghan cameleers and European settlement in the East Kimberley region, sparked firstly by the Gold Rush in the mid 1880s and subsequently the pastoral industry, all contributed to build Wyndham's story.

The Port of Wyndham was an integral link with the outside world and supported the whole of the East Kimberley region. Camels, bullocks and donkey teams were vital for the transportation of goods from Wyndham to outlying stations as far a field as Halls Creek.

Camels and their Afghan handlers form an important part of Wyndham's history and the heritage of our region; hence our tribute not just to the Afghan cameleers , but to the rich, diverse and enduring pioneering spirit of the Wyndham area. 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au