Carrajung

Carrajung is a rural locality in south Gippsland, 23 km north of Yarram and 165 km south-east of Melbourne. The locality comprises three villages or settlements - Carrajung, Carrajung South and Carrajung Lower. Carrajung is separated from the other two by a steep ridge and is situated in hilly country. The area has occasional snow falls. The name Carrajung is thought to have been derived from an Aboriginal word meaning a fishing line or a shade tree.

Carrajung is an area of high rainfall and fertile soil, making it suitable for dairying. The first white settlers took up selections in 1882. Within ten years Carrajung was also noted for cattle breeding. A township was surveyed by 1887, a saleyard was opened in 1889 and a butter factory, hotel and mechanics' institute were opened by 1891. In 1900 the village was substantially destroyed by fire.

The first school to open was at Carrajung South in 1898 in a building that also served as a hall and a church. Subsequently there were schools at Carrajung (1914-96) and at Carrajung Lower (1930-45).

Carrajung's hotel was rebuilt after the fire, remaining licensed until 1964. Dairying and sawmilling have been the main industries and a sawmill was located at Carrajung Lower. There are several pine plantations in the neighbouring State forests.

With the amalgamation of some farms and a decline in population, community facilities were rationalised or lost. The school at Carrajung South was retained the longest, but the general store was closed (1997). Carrajung and Carrajung South each has a hall and the recreation reserve is at Carrajung.

Plans to build a wind farm were proposed in 2008 by Synergy Wind Farm Developments with a test site established along Grand Ridge Road, despite opposition from some residents. Carrajung and Carrajung South came under threat from the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

The census populations for the Carrajung district have been: