The Ballad of Abdul Wade

When Afghan entrepreneur Abdul Wade first brought his camel trains to the outback, he was hailed as a hero. Horses couldn’t access many remote settlements, especially those stricken by flood or drought, and camel trains rode to the rescue time and time again.But with success came fierce opposition fuelled by prejudice. The camel was not even classed as an animal under Australian law, and, in a climate of colonial misinformation, hyperbole and fear, camel drivers such as Wade were shown almost as little respect. Yet all the while, for those in need, the ships of the desert continued to appear on the outback horizon.After his interest was piqued by a 19th-century photo of a camel train in a country town, Ryan Butta found himself on the trail of Australia’s earliest Afghan camel-drivers. Separating the bulldust from the bush poetry, he reveals the breadth and depth of white Australian protectionism and prejudice. Told with flair and authority, this gritty alternative history defies the standard horse-powered folklore to reveal the untold debt this country owes to humble dromedaries, their drivers and those who brought them here.

Short-listed for South Australian Literary Awards Non-Fiction 2024 Long-listed for Indie Book Awards Non Fiction 2023

Ryan Butta grew up in regional New South Wales. Before he started writing he worked in international trade and has lived and worked extensively overseas. He is Editor at Large for Galah Press and also authors Out of Office a newsletter that charts his course of quitting office life to pursue a writing career. When he is not writing Ryan enjoys fly fishing, cooking over flame and telling people that he once played cricket for Argentina. John Voce is a graduate of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has worked as an actor in the UK for more than 30 years. In addition to narrating audiobooks, an occupation John loves, he has also appeared in Downton Abbey, Doctor Who, Primeval, Grantchester, Neighbours, Holby City, Miranda and Jonathan Creek. He also voiced Thomas The Tank Engine for a live international tour. He has resided in Melbourne, Australia since 2015.

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