Henry Camfield - Perth, Australia - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

This statue stands in the "Burswood Park Heritage Trail", near the Burswood Casino, near the centre of the city of Perth.

Mr Henry Camfield (1799-1872) was one of the original settlers of Perth, and Western Australia. He in fact gave the name of "Burrswood" (now Burswood) to this area of Perth, an area he was granted by the colonial authorities. Like many at that time he found the climate (hot) and environment (dry and unfertile) extremely challenging, not at all like England.

The statue was prompted by a letter of Mr Camfield where he lamented the difficulties of life in the new colony. He is depicted wiping his brow, while working, under the hot sun. He is slightly larger than life-sized, and is wearing working clothes.

His life is not well documented, but he apparently abandoned an agricultural career, became a civil servant in the colony, married, and carried out a number of charitable works. He never returned to England, but died in Albany.


From the artist website:
(visit link)

Henry Camfield
Standing on the land he called he called ' Burswood ' , the English settler who almost starved to death in his attempt to turn this alien land into an English garden, leans on his shovel in helpless despair.
His weary demeanor captures the sense of hopelessness that enveloped those early 19th Century migrants, who clung to the sandy edges of the alien Continent.
The story of many is told in his face.
Bronze over-life-size
Dedicated 1992

URL of the statue: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
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