Kamerunga, Queensland

The Barron River enters the suburb from the north-west (the suburb of Barron Gorge), flows through the north of Kamerunga, exiting to the north-east (the suburb of Barron). All of the island and parts of the north and south river banks form the Kamerunga Conservation Park (). Kamerunga Crossing is a ford across the Barron River () to Caravonica. It is the location of an old bridge (no longer for use by vehicles). In the east of the suburb, farmland predominates while the centre of the suburb is used for residential purposes and the west is mostly undeveloped bushland on the foothills of the Atherton Tableland escarpment. == History ==

. The tents are part of the camp for the workers building the Cairns-to-Kuranda railway line. The town was originally known as Barronville in early 1887, but renamed as Kamerunga in mid 1887, which is the name in the Yidinji language for Barron Gorge. From 1890 to 1919, Kamerunga was within the Shire of Barron, but was then absorbed into the Shire of Cairns (now the Cairns Region). In October 1888, the Queensland Government decided to establish Kamerunga State Nursery to experiment with the cultivation of tropical plants to assess their commercial potential and then grow and sell the successful varieties to Queensland farmers. An initial site of approx was chosen (now at the approximate site of the Cairns Water Kamerunga Treatment Plant, 1-39 Harley Street, ), although the site was later extended on a number of occasions further to the south and west to encompass over although much of it was never cultivated. Ebenezer Cowley was appointed as its first overseer in 1889 and he actively developed the nursery until his death in 1899. The nursery was closed in 1916 as it was deemed "uneconomic". However, in the 1940s, the site was reactivated as a test station for the Horticulture Branch of the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock's Plant Industry Division and operated until circa 1989 before closing again. Kamerunga State School opened on 28 May 1913. It was wrecked in a cyclone in February 1927. On 6 April 1927 it reopened at a new location as Caravonica State School. The decision to relocate the school had been taken prior to the cyclone. Peace Lutheran College opened in 1994. == Demographics ==

In the , the suburb of Kamerunga had a population of 1,049 people. In the , the suburb of Kamerunga had a population of 962 people. == Education ==

Peace Lutheran College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at Cowley Street (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 670 students with 52 teachers (46 full-time equivalent) and 48 non-teaching staff (34 full-time equivalent). There are no government schools in Kamerunga. The nearest government primary schools are Caravonica State School in neighbouring Caravonica to the north and Freshwater State School in neighbouring Freshwater to the east. The nearest government secondary school is Redlynch State College in neighbouring Redlynch to the south. == Amenities ==

St John the Forerunner & Baptist Greek Orthodox Church is at 450-482 Kamerunga Road (). There are a number of parks, including: • Barronville Park between Romney and Hastings Street () • Douglas Track Park () • Harley Street North Park () == References ==