The Gathering GardenConcept Central Coolamon Water Feature The Coolamons Art History – Mrs Alice Todd Art History – Alice Springs Art History – Afghan Cameleers Art History – Olive Pink The Artists The Launch Ceremonial Launch Gathering Garden Guests

From the 1860’s to the 1930’s, European settlement and exploration depended heavily on the expertise of Muslim cameleers from Afghanistan and British India. In 1921 Indian cameleer Saleh Sadadeen acquired a lease of land on this site. He grew a wide variety of fruit and vegetables and was known for his watermelons, figs, grapes, and citrus, fruit. Later this site became a market garden for other Afghan cameleers.

Afghan Cameleers - The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT
Afghan Cameleers – The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT
Afghan Cameleers - The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT
Afghan Cameleers – The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT
Afghan Cameleers - The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT
Afghan Cameleers – The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT

The Gathering Garden seating, corner of Gregory Terrace and Todd Street
(looking south-east), with the Alice Springs Town Council in the background.

The Gathering Garden seating, corner of Gregory Terrace and Todd Street, Alice Springs NT
The Gathering Garden seating, Alice Springs NT

Camel Caravans

“A camel is better than a motor car – it doesn’t get a puncture.”
— Aboriginal saying, early 1970s.

The camel played a major role in opening up central Australia. The beasts and their handlers were imported from Afghanistan where camel caravans moved freight for centuries.

The animals were well suited to the outback environment and camel caravans plied the route from Oodnadatta in South Australia to Alice Springs for decades transporting food items, household furniture and building materials. They were still being used in central Australia up to the 1960s.

Camels are steady reliable beasts, although famed cameleer Sallay Mahomet, one of the older generation of Afghan handlers who lived in Alice Springs, observed that the speed of a camel caravan was limited by the speed of the slowest beast. This could be very slow if the caravan included a lame animal.

Alice Springs Town Council Garden signage
Afghan Cameleers (from garden signage) - Source: National trust of Australia (N) - Peter Jones Collection (LPE/LP/U&HE/0999)
Afghan Cameleers (from park garden signage)
– Source: National trust of Australia (N) – Peter Jones Collection (LPE/LP/U&HE/0999)
Afghan Cameleers – The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT

Arrernte language: Arrernelhyaye – Translation: ‘come, sit, be

Coolamon - Arrernte language: Arrernelhyaye - Translation: come, sit, be (translation)
Coolamon – Arrernte language: Arrernelhyaye – Translation: come, sit, be (translation)
Coolamon - Arrernte language: Arrernelhyaye - Translation: come, sit, be (translation)
Coolamon – Arrernte language: Arrernelhyaye – Translation: come, sit, be (translation)

Walpiri language: Nyinakalu – Translation: ‘come, sit, be

Coolamon - Walpiri language: Nyinakalu - Translation: 'come, sit, be'
Coolamon – Walpiri language: Nyinakalu – Translation: ‘come, sit, be’
Coolamon - Walpiri language: Nyinakalu - Translation: 'come, sit, be'
Coolamon – Walpiri language: Nyinakalu – Translation: ‘come, sit, be’

From the archives © AusEmade Pty Ltd
All artwork © of the respective artists
Source: Alice Spring Town Council


The Gathering GardenConcept Central Coolamon Water Feature The Coolamons Art History – Mrs Alice Todd Art History – Alice Springs Art History – Afghan Cameleers Art History – Olive Pink The Artists The Launch Ceremonial Launch Gathering Garden Guests

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