The Bollon Police Station received its first bicycle for town patrols in 1901.
In 1903 Inspector Breene reported that the two cells connected to the barracks were too confined during the summer months, and that prisoners had complained about ventilation.
Letter requesting the agistment of the Post Master’s horse within the Bollon police paddock.
Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
This issue of restricted ventilation was raised again in 1920 when Dr McDonald, the Balonne Shire Health Officer, accompanied by the Shire Clerk, Mr Tovey, inspected the police barracks and outhouses. They found the only cell in use, situated at the rear of the barracks was “too small and too badly ventilated and should be reconstructed”. The other cell was being used as a storeroom. Mr Gilbert, the Inspector for Public Works also made an inspection and recommended the construction of a new cell to be separate from the barracks. The officer in charge and his family would then be spared from the foul language and the smell of prisoners in close proximity to their sleeping quarters. Due to financial constraints the new cell for the Bollon Police Station was not commenced until April 1925.
In January 1934 water was laid onto the police quarters from the main going straight past the station. Constable Elstob reported that the water supply was controlled by the Balonne Shire Council. It consisted of two big tanks erected on high blocks on the bank of a permanent water hole in the Wallum Creek about three hundred yards from the police station. The water was pumped into the tanks by means of an oil engine, and then distributed through pipes around the town and to individual premises, with a fair force of water being obtained.
At the end of 1933 Constable Elstob had requested a number of improvements be carried out on the police quarters to make them more comfortable. An inspection by the Department of Public Works recommended the building of a new police residence;
“The house is too small to be suitable as a residence and is too close to the ground. The inside is dilapidated from old age, and a shower of fine dust continuously falls from the ceiling causing a great deal of work and inconvenience.
At this time the police buildings were described as consisting of a;
“ …dwelling of three rooms with two old non used cells attached, and a verandah in the front, also a detached one roomed kitchen. The Justice Department buildings consist of one Court House and one closet. The Court house is used as a Police, and Court of Petty Sessions Office. Both Justice and Police buildings are situated in the one enclosure which consists of a K wire fence along the frontage and ordinary netting on the three other sides.”
Erection of the new police residence was commenced on 13 May 1935, and completed on 8 October. A new Court House was also constructed. The old residence, detached kitchen, and court house were sold for removal.
The new residence consisted of three bedrooms, one sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and a small pantry. It had a verandah along the front and eastern side. The building was on high stumps, the external walls were made of hardwood weatherboards, and the internal walls of white pine. The roof was of galvanised iron. The new Court House consisted of two rooms; the main court house room, and an office at the back.
In 1936 Acting Sergeant Elstob reported on the condition of the house rented by his married constable. Although the most suitable house for rent in Bollon, the outside walls had opened up, and as it was not lined, dust and cold winds were entering through the numerous cracks adding to the occupant’s discomfort.
After consideration of various allotments, and discussion with the Balonne Shire Council, it was found that allotment 7, of section 4, on Belmore Street, next to the existing police reserve was found to be the most suitable. It was purchased for ₤20, and reserved for police purposes on 14 April 1938. Tenders for the erection of a married constable’s residence were called for in December 1939, with the residence completed in July 1940.
On the 5 September 1951, one Ariel motorcycle and sidecar was received at the station for patrol duties. This was replaced with a BSA motorcycle outfit on 9 November 1955, but found to be unsuitable for the bad roads and the work required. On 2 January 1957, the station received a Holden utility.
These new BSA motorcycles pictured outside Petrie Terrace Police Depot, c1955, being inspected by Police Inspectors Cecil Risch and Frederick Palethorpe; one of them may have made it to Bollon.
Image PM0339 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
With the completion of an electric light plant in Bollon, the police buildings were connected to the electricity supply in September 1954.
Due to insufficient space to store police records, an extension was added to the existing police office in 1965. The building consisted of a general public office with counter, and a police office.
Bollon Police Station.
Image No. PM0326b courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing. 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- Bollon Between 1900 and 1965” 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