The history of Muslims in Australia dates back to the 17th century, well before European contact with the mainland The Makassan traders from Indonesia had a harmonious relationship with the Indigenous people of Northern Australia They accompanied the great explorers of the Outback and were instrumental pioneers in the tough terrain Due to the Afghans knowledge and expertise with camels, they were credited with saving the lives of numerous early European explorers and were vital for exploration They eventually settled in the areas near Alice Springs as well as in the Northern Territory and many inter-married with the Indigenous population The remains of the oldest mosque in Australia is situated near Maree (which they built) Today, Australia has many mosques spread throughout its cities, towns and villages Their design and architecture tend to replicate Middle Eastern models Muslim population by State: NSW - 50%, Victoria - 33%, WA - 7%, QL - 5%, SA - 3%, ACT - 1%, NT and Tasmania - 0.3% According to the 2006 census, approximately 340,392 of the Australian population identify as Muslim Muslims in Australia come from more than 60 ethnic groupings Thousands of Australian Muslims also include a rising number of converts to Islam