Barron, Queensland

Barron
Cairns, Queensland
Sugar cane fields with mountains beyond, Lower Freshwater Road, Barron, 2018
Barron is located in Queensland
Barron
Barron
Map
Coordinates16°51′56″S 145°42′36″E / 16.8655°S 145.71°E / -16.8655; 145.71 (Barron (centre of suburb))
Population68 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density5.81/km2 (15.05/sq mi)
Area11.7 km2 (4.5 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Cairns Region
State electorate(s)Barron River
Federal division(s)Leichhardt
Suburbs around Barron:
Smithfield Yorkeys Knob Holloways Beach
Caravonica Barron Machans Beach
Kamerunga Freshwater Aeroglen
Stratford

Barron is a suburb of Cairns in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Barron had a population of 68 people.[1]

Geography

Although Barron has been a suburb of Cairns rather than a locality since 2002,[2] as at 2021, the principal land use is farming with little residential development.[3]

The locality is bounded to the north-east by the Captain Cook Highway and in the other directions by Kamerunga Road (approximately). The Tablelands railway line also forms the southern boundary with Freshwater railway station (16°52′52″S 145°42′36″E / 16.8810°S 145.7099°E / -16.8810; 145.7099 (Freshwater railway station)) serving the suburb.[3][4]

The Barron River enters the suburb from the south-west (Kamerunga) as does Freshwater Creek (formerly the Davidson River) with their confluence on the western boundary of the suburb (16°52′00″S 145°42′00″E / 16.8666°S 145.7°E / -16.8666; 145.7 (Freshwater Creek (mouth))). The river then flows towards the north of the suburb and then to the south-east (along the boundary with Stratford), finally exiting to the east (Machans Beach).[5][3]

The land is flat and low-lying (less than 10 metres above sea level). The main crop is sugarcane and a network of cane tramways pass through the suburb to deliver the harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill in Gordonvale.[3]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Barron had a population of 42 people.[6]

In the 2021 census, Barron had a population of 68 people.[1]

Education

There are no schools in Barron. The nearest government primary schools are Caravonica State School in neighbouring Caravonica to the west, Machans Beach State School in neighbouring Machans Beach to the east, and Freshwater State School in neighbouring Freshwater to the south. The nearest government secondary schools are Smithfield State High School in Smithfield to the north-west, Redlynch State College in Redlynch to the south-west, and Cairns State High School in Cairns North to the south-east.[3]

Amenities

Bunny Adair Park, 2018

The Bunny Adair Park on Lower Freshwater Road (once in Freshwater but now in Barron) (16°52′49″S 145°42′34″E / 16.8804°S 145.7094°E / -16.8804; 145.7094 (Bunny Adair Park)) is named after politician and Freshwater Hotel publican, Bunny Adair.[7][8] The park has equestrian facilities and is home to the Freshwater Pony Club.[9][10]

Attractions

Freshwater railway station, 2018

Freshwater railway station (16°52′52″S 145°42′36″E / 16.8810°S 145.7099°E / -16.8810; 145.7099 (Freshwater railway station)) is a popular departure point for the Kuranda Scenic Railway with free parking, a restored historic railway station building, restaurant in heritage railway carriages, and a theatrette.[11] The station is on Kumerunga Road near the junction with Old Smithfield Road.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Barron (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ a b "Barron – suburb in Cairns Region (entry 48513)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Freshwater Creek – watercourse in Cairns Regional (entry 13213)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Barron (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ Hodes, Jeremy. "Far North Queensland Place names bo – bz". Queensland History. Blogger. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Sport fields". Cairns Regional Council. 12 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Freshwater Pony Club". Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  11. ^ "Freshwater Station". Kuranda Scenic Railway. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.

Media related to Barron, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons