On 24 June 1987 the Queensland Police Department moved their vehicle depot from the heritage listed Petrie Terrace Police Barracks to an existing building in Pickering Street, Alderley. The low rise concrete and glass complex was purchased from Gordon and Gotch for $5.83 million, with the intention of housing the Transport Section, Allied Trades, Uniform Store, Radio and Electronics and eventually P.S.R.T. (Public Safety Response Team). Alterations were necessary and completed at a cost of $2 million. This included new office furniture and garage equipment to future proof the already modern building, sprawled over nearly 6 acres.
A Mechanic working on a police car at the Alderley Police Depot, c1988.
Image No. PM2850 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
In its first year of operation Transport Section mechanics serviced 673 vehicles. Training was given to Departmental tradies to keep them updated with vehicle technology, and training was also given to apprentice mechanics. A squad including four qualified motor mechanics, created specifically to investigate traffic accidents, was moved to the new Alderley garage and utilised a Ford Transit van fully fitted out for crash scene investigation.
Traffic Accident Investigation Squad van parked at Alderley Police Depot, c1989.
Image No. PM3297 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
For a short time the Brisbane Dog Squad called the Alderley premises their headquarters. A portable building on the site was surrounded by tall chain wire fencing to keep the furry squad safe from the busy Transport Section between 1992 and 1999. But the location was never suited to the needs of the Dog Squad, and they moved to their present home at the Oxley Police Academy in May 1999.
Store room at the Alderley Police Depot, c1988.
Image No. PM2851a courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
In 2001 the Police Bulletin (Issue No. 222, 1 Nov 2001, p. 12) looked back at the transition of the Transport Section when housed at Police Terrace, and their move to the Alderley location; ‘By 1987 the garages at the Petrie Terrace Depot had become too small and cramped to efficiently conduct mechanical and service work as the Queensland Police Department had acquired more vehicles and equipment. However, staff made do with the accommodation available. In February 1982, it was reported ‘staff at Transport Section are currently saving the Department thousands of dollars’ and noted that in addition to regular vehicle maintenance, staff were building horse floats and constructing light bars and security screens. Inspector-in-Charge Jack Kane outlined plans for the future: “We would like to set up our own panel beating and paint shop at the Depot…however we do not have sufficient space”.’ There is certainly more space at Alderley and we wish the Garage a happy 30th birthday for June 24, 2017!
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This article was written by Museum Assistant Georgia Grier from the best resources available within the Queensland Police Museum. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“FROM the VAULT – Alderley Garage Turns 30!” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode