Cameron Corner, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cameron Corner Bulloo Shire, Queensland
Cameron Corner, 2001
Cameron Corner Location in Queensland
Population	19 (2021 census)
• Density	0.00148/km2 (0.0038/sq mi)
Area	12,866.0 km2 (4,967.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	Bulloo Shire
County	Carruthers
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Cameron Corner: Innamincka (SA) Durham Noccundra Bollards Lagoon (SA) Cameron Corner Bulloo Downs Bollards Lagoon (SA) Tibooburra (NSW) Tibooburra (NSW)

Cameron Corner is a very special place in the Australian outback. It's where three different Australian states meet: Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia. Imagine standing in one spot and being in three states at once! This remote area is part of the Shire of Bulloo in Queensland. In 2021, only 19 people lived here, making it a truly quiet and unique spot.

What is Cameron Corner?

Cameron Corner is about 1400 kilometres (870 miles) west-southwest of Brisbane, Queensland. It's famous because it's the exact point where the borders of Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales all come together. A very long fence, called the Dingo Fence, also passes right through Cameron Corner along the New South Wales border.

Mountains Nearby

Even though it's a flat desert area, there are a few small mountains nearby:

• Mount Intrepid, which is 205 metres (673 feet) high.
• Mount Morris, standing at 202 metres (663 feet) high.
• Mount Bygrave, the tallest of the three at 243 metres (797 feet) high.

History of the Corner

Australia map with named state corners

This area, including the Sturt Stony Desert, was first explored by Captain Charles Sturt in 1844. He was looking for a supposed "inland sea" in the middle of Australia.

The corner and the area around it are named after a surveyor named John Brewer Cameron. He worked for the New South Wales Lands Department and spent two years, from 1880 to 1882, marking the border between New South Wales and Queensland. In September 1880, Cameron put up a special post to mark where the Queensland border met the South Australian border. He also placed a wooden marker every 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) along the border going east.

Who Lives There?

In the 2016 census, Cameron Corner had a very small population, almost no one living there. However, by the 2021 census, the population had grown slightly to 19 people.

Important Marker

Cameron Corner Marker: Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia

The Cameron Corner Survey Marker is a special monument that marks the exact spot where the three states meet. It was so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2012. This means it's a protected historical site.

The Dingo Fence

Dingo Fence on the 29th parallel of latitude. Sturt National Park (right of fence) – looking east from Cameron Corner after a heavy rainfall

One of the most interesting features near Cameron Corner is the Dingo Fence. This fence is incredibly long, stretching for about 2500 kilometres (1553 miles) just in Queensland! It's also known as the Great Barrier Fence or Wild Dog Barrier Fence. Its main job is to keep dingoes (wild dogs) out of farming areas.

The fence is looked after by a team of 23 people. They work in two-person teams, patrolling about 300 kilometres (186 miles) of the fence every week to make sure it's in good condition.

At Cameron Corner, the Queensland section of the Dingo Fence connects with the South Australian Border Fence. This South Australian section runs for 257 kilometres (160 miles) south along the border with New South Wales. It then joins an even longer part of the fence in South Australia, which is 2225 kilometres (1383 miles) long.

Local Life

There are a few large farms, called homesteads, scattered across the Cameron Corner area. These are usually very far apart because the land is so vast.

Unique New Year's Eve

Cameron Corner has a really cool tradition for New Year's Eve. People celebrate it three times! This is because the three states that meet at the corner are all in different time zones. So, as midnight strikes in each time zone, they celebrate again!

Cameron Corner Store

The Cameron Corner Store was started in 1990. It's a very unique place because it's the only permanent business in the area. The store has a Queensland liquor licence, a New South Wales postal code for mail, and a South Australian telephone number! It's a true example of how the three states meet here.

The area also has a desert golf course, which is a fun surprise in such a remote spot!