The Facebook page Vintage Queensland has shared this great old photo of a portable police station in Urandangie in the early 20th century.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Taken in 1902, the photo shows four police officers on the front porch and an Aboriginal police tracker behind fence to the right.
Vintage Queensland said the rapid growth of the mining camps and the equally rapid departure of the diggers when the fields were played out; meant that there was only a temporary need for a police station.
This meant the early Queensland police force adopted the idea of supplying portable police stations.
"These stations were prefabricated and transported to the desired location by bullock wagon when required and were easily erected by one or two men," Vintage Queensland said.
"When the station was no longer needed it was a simple matter to disassemble the structure and transport it to a new site."
Police did build a permanent station at Urandangie around the end of the First World War but the building burned down earlier this year.
By 1920 Urandangi had a pub, two stores, post office, police station and a dance hall but now the pub is the only remaining business in town.
While you are here subscribe to our weekly email to your inbox at 6am every Friday
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
