Afghan cameleers Afghan Australians

although afghans without camels reported have reached australia 1838, in latter part of 19th century several thousand men afghanistan, baluchistan, kashmir, sind, rajasthan, egypt, persia, turkey , punjab, collectively known afghans , recruited during initial british development of australian outback, operation of camel trains in desert areas. first afghan cameleers arrived in melbourne in june 1860, when 3 men arrived shipment of 24 camels burke , wills expedition. continued work in arid interior of continent 1860s 1930s, until being superseded development of railways , motorised road transport. afghans played important supportive role in exploration , economic development of interior through carting water, food , materials remote pastoral stations , mining settlements, construction of overland telegraph, , port augusta alice springs railway. had important role in establishing muslim faith in australia.