Camp Mountain rail accident
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| Date | 5 May 1947 (Labour Day) |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:48am |
| Location |
Camp Mountain, Queensland 14.95 km (9.29 mi) NW from Brisbane |
| Country | Australia |
| Rail line | Dayboro railway line |
| Operator | Queensland Government Railways |
| Type of incident | Derailment |
| Cause | Excessive speed |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Passengers | 215 |
| Deaths | 16 |
| Injuries | 38 |
The Camp Mountain rail accident occurred at approximately 9:48am on 5 May 1947 when a crowded picnic train derailed on a sharp left-hand curve between Ferny Grove and Camp Mountain stations on the now-closed Dayboro line, approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia.
The Camp Mountain train disaster is still the largest loss of life in a rail accident on the Queensland railway network with 16 fatalities, including both the driver and fireman of the train; 38 were injured.
A branch line was opened from the North Coast railway line at Mayne Junction (north of Bowen Hills station) to Enoggera in 1899, to Ferny Grove and Samford in 1918, finally reaching Dayboro on 27 September 1920.
By 1908, banana growing in the Samford district had become one of the area's most important industries, and in 1926 and 1927, more bananas were sent from Samford railway station, just down from Camp Mountain, to Sydney and Melbourne than any other station in Queensland. This successful industry existed until the banana bunchy top virus wiped out the crops in the early 1930s. Dairy farming and timber were other industries in the district and out to the end of the line at Dayboro, as well as the quarrying of granite at Camp Mountain, used in the foundations of Brisbane City Hall.
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