The first camels came to Australia from the Canary Islands in 1840. Nine camels were brought for the purpose of aiding the exploration of John Horrocks. None of these initial â¦ camels survived, although the first one lived for six years-long enough to shoot Horrocks.hese were the predecessors of today's wild camels. Camels continued to be brought over by later explorers. It was not uncommon for the explorers and/or the Afghan cameleers to release their camels, or for the camels to escape.
The expedition arrived in San Diego on May 14, 1769, the first overland party to reach Alta California. The next day, on May 15, Gaspar de Portola and Father Junipero Serra set out across the rugged, arid land of Baja California with a contingent of soldiers and Baja mission Indians.
The mission, the eighth in California, was founded on January 12, 1777 and named for Saint Clare of Assisi, the foundress of the order of the Poor Clares. It is the namesake of both the city and county of Santa Clara, as well as Santa Clara University, which was built around the mission. This was the first California Mission to be named in honor of a woman and the only one now located on a university campus.