It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Boulia.
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Officer in Charge (OIC) of Boulia Police Station, Sergeant Michael Hobden has been extremely busy getting ready for Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve.
Sergeant Hobden began preparing the station for Christmas back in November, before temperatures reached 45+ degrees.
The Christmas display includes three laser projectors, a Christmas projector, an inflatable countdown Santa Claus, three metre inflatable reindeer, Christmas tree decorated in police theme and tape and over 650 metres of Christmas lights.
Sergeant Hobden was promoted to OIC of Boulia Police Station in March of this year after working as the OIC of Mungindi Station for over two years.
He works alongside Boulia's first permanent female officer, Senior Constable Kelli Norris.
Boulia is located 300km south of Mount Isa, 360km west of Winton and nearly 2,000km from Brisbane.
Its township has a population of approximately 300 people and a divisional population of 700.
Sergeant Hobden said Boulia's isolation attributes to its beauty with wide open spaces, stunning rock formations, perfect blue skies and red sands.
"Policing in a town like Boulia is all about community policing, establishing close relationships with community members and stakeholders, becoming part of the community and improving the lives of Boulia residents and visitors on a day to day basis," Sergeant Hobden said.
"It can be challenging at times with its remoteness and isolation, for an example, I have to do a 620km round trip to Mount Isa every time I need to do my grocery shopping.
"But Boulia has the best sunsets you will every witness, and I've really come to call this place home and its residents my family."
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