In 1971, due to the number of accidents involving police vehicles, a Driver Training Wing began operating, to instruct police on car and motorcycle handling and especially alternative means to high speed pursuits. In November 1983 the Driver Training Wing was transferred from the Petrie Terrace Depot to the Queensland Police Academy.
Police officer Ray Andrews on his Kawasaki 1000 tries out the Police Driver Training track at the Surfers Paradise Raceway, 1979.
Image No. PM1433 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Driver Training facilities were mobile through the 1970s and were first practiced at the Lakeside Raceway, later the Caboolture Raceway was used, followed by the Surfer’s Paradise International Raceway. In September 1975 a block of over 41 hectares at Mount Cotton was gazetted as a police centre. Stage 1 of a five-stage complex was opened in February 1983 – consisting of a small skid pan and an administration block.
A police driver in training at the Caboolture Raceway, Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum 1979.
Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
The Mt Cotton centre was managed by Queensland Transport and the Queensland Police Driver Training Wing remained at the Academy. Police officers in training were taken by bus to the Mt Cotton site and the Surfer’s Paradise International Raceway. The Driver Training Wing moved from the Academy to the Mt Cotton site on July 15, 1987.
Police cars and motorbikes try out the Mt Cotton Driver Training Track at the centre’s opening in 1983.
Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
The new driver training area and classrooms at the new Queensland Police Academy site at Wacol, were officially opened on 3 November 3, 2010 and are now being used by the Driver Training Unit. The new driver training area includes: 2.5 kilometres of road circuit; a technically challenging urban simulation environment including traffic lights, roundabouts and building facades; a dedicated off-road skills circuit for both four-wheel-drive and trail-bike training; and two sealed surface, large vehicle manoeuvring areas, including controlled irrigation.
The QPS Driver Training Centre was opened in 2010.
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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
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