CAMP HILL, QUEENSLAND

'Camp Hill' is a largely residential suburb in the south-east of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 7 km from the Brisbane central business district and, as its name suggests, is elevated and commands fine views of the CBD. It has an area of 4.6 square kilometres.

Contents

Demographics

History

Trams

Facts

References

External links

Demographics

Camp Hill has a population of 9,227 and an average age of 34. The unemployment rate is 3.8% and the average income is $40,300.
2003 data, Australian Bureau of Statistics

History

The suburb of Camp Hill is built on Whites Hill and Camp Hill. Whites Hill was known as 'Boolimbah' to the local Aboriginal people, which probably meant 'place of the magpie-lark'. Originally Camp Hill was settled as an agricultural area with a strong German community. During WWII a US Army hospital was built south of what is now Lavarack Park, which was originally used as landfill. Most of the residential development in Camp Hill has taken place since the Second World War. After the war there were some Housing Commission war homes built, and later many new subdivisions were opened up.

Trams

Between 1912 and 1926 the suburb was serviced by a steam tram which connected with the Queensland Government Railway at Norman Park. Initially the service was operated by the Belmont Shire Council. The service was suspended in 1924. The service was reinstated by the Brisbane City Council in 1925, but was again suspended in 1926. The tracks, which followed the present Oateson Skyline Drive (in Seven Hills), Ferguson Road and Old Cleveland Road, remained in place until 1934, by which time an electric tram line had been extended up Old Cleveland Road from Coorparoo. The electric tram ceased operations in April 1969. As at January 2006 some of the tram tracks remain in Old Cleveland Road. During the expected construction of the Eastern Busway, it is likely that these tracks will be removed.

Facts

Between 1980 and circa 2005 the mysterious Shanbo inhabited the Camp Hill region. Often seen getting copious amounts of chips (frozen or unfrozen) from various establishments in the district, wearing very tight red shorts, spending vast centrelink payments on coffee rolls, slurpees and irregular frosty fruits. Almost entirely unapproachable, he would break into a full sprint whenever anyone came near him, even if they only required the most inane of information including the time. Some of the more unsavoury recollections of his time, was his eagerness to engage in lewd behaviour, such as mooning trains, streaking and offering free roots like a town pryor.

References

★ John Kerr, John Armstrong, Destination South Brisbane, ARHS, second edition 1984, ISBN 0-909937-09-5

External links

★ ourbrisbane.com website - Camp Hill section

★ BRISbites: Suburban Sites (History)

★ Suburb Map