[2] After leaving school in 1859, he began work as a jackaroo and two years later the Camerons joined up with the Crombie family to drive their flocks to Barcaldine in Queensland.

[2] The Camerons and Crombies joined with others to form a business partnership that embraced seven properties which John later became a partner in.

[2] Cameron, representing the Opposition, stood for the seat of Mitchell at the 1893 colonial election, and defeated Charles Fitzgerald, the Labour candidate, and J. Campbell, an independent.

[4] At the 1899 election, Cameron, now representing the Ministerialists, stood for the seat of Barcoo but was defeated by Labour's George Kerr.

[5] In 1901, the state member for Brisbane North, Thomas MacDonald-Paterson, resigned the seat to enter Federal Parliament and Cameron was his replacement.