The Report of the Commissioner of Police in 1882 mentioned Eton among others as a station to be completed as speedily as possible. Tenders for the erection of police quarters and a lockup were to be submitted by 4pm on Thursday, 22 March 1883. The Brisbane Courier newspaper of 21 May 1883 reported that tenders were accepted for a police station at Eton; indicating these were fresh tenders as those previously received were too high. The newspaper also reported on 2 June 1883 that Archibald McIntyre was the successful contractor to build the new police quarters and lockup. On the 3 November 1883 the contractor was ordered to stop construction work on the police quarters. It became apparent that the land, being Allotment 9, Section 5, upon which the Eton police barracks was being erected had been sold through a Government auction for £100 to a Mr Chataway. The building was disassembled and removed to Allotment 1, Section 10. Inspector Alexander Douglas reported that the Eton police quarters were completed on 12 March 1884. He also proposed to the Commissioner of Police that Constable Donoghue be transferred to take charge of Eton as he was a steady man with a clean defaulter sheet. The police quarters were built for a cost of £895.
Constable Thomas Donoghue reported to his Sub Inspector about the need to fence the station on 13 March 1885.
‘That this Station would require to be fenced badly. The Const had on four (4) occasions within the last six months to take charge of stolen or illegally branded cattle, and each time he did not know what to do with them as there is not a secure Paddock or yard within three (3) miles of the Station, in fact the Const has at present a stolen cow in his possession and has to keep her a long distance from the Station. Whereas if the Station was fenced he could keep the cow in the yard every night, and not run the risk of having the cow stolen while in the possession of Police’.
On 24 March 1885, Constable Donoghue died after having suffered from fever for a few days. His widow received £39, 12 shillings and 2 pence, from the Police Reward Fund, being an amount equal to one months pay for each year of her husband’s service in the Force. Tenders for fencing around the Eton Police Barracks were called in June 1885. Mr John Temple of Eton was successful in having his tender accepted on 2 September 1885. In February 1888, Constable Michael Griffin found the flooring in one of the bedrooms on the back verandah destroyed by white ants. Some other repairs were required, and Mr. James Wallace successfully tendered for the repair work. On 19 November 1890, Travelling Inspector John Ahern, inspected the Eton Police Station. The strength consisted of two men; Constables Michael Griffin and Michael Cronin. Their two troop horses were named ‘Comet’ and ‘Planet’. A great deal of each constable’s time was taken up with mounted bush patrols, having at the time performed 502 days between them. The inspection also noted the station building required painting which could easily be done by the constables.
A plan and report proposing additions to the Eton Police Station were forwarded to the Commissioner of Police in December 1896. Additional rooms were required to accommodate Constable Griffin’s family, consisting of wife and eight children. Mr. James Wallace gave an estimated price of £54 and 10 shillings, stating it was the cheapest he could do the job for. These additions were not proceeded with, and Constable Griffin was transferred to Toowoomba in October 1897. In January 1912 it was found that the land consisting of an area of 2 acres, 2 roods, and 6 ½ perches on which the Eton Police Station was erected, had not been proclaimed as a Police Reserve. The area was gazetted as a Reserve for Police Purposes on 15 March 1912, and as being on Allotment 1 of Section 10.
Constable Arthur Casey applied for permission to milk a recently purchased cow on police premises on 7 April 1915. The milk was for his family’s use, and the cow would not be kept on police premises, but it would be necessary to pen the calf up at night. No objection was raised provided the premises were kept clean. On 19 August 1916, Constable Casey applied for the erection of a bathroom at the station.
‘For years past an old tank with a door cut in has sufficed for a bathroom here, but it has been useless for some time past and at present there are no means of getting a bath except by using a cell etc which is not satisfactory for ones wife & family, therefore, I would ask for the erection of a bathroom soon as possible’.
On 7 November 1916, the expenditure of £21 and 10 shillings as quoted by Mr. J. Gralow was approved and he was advised to proceed with the work.
A cyclone in February 1918 blew twelve sheets of iron off the main building, and five from the cells. The top was blown off the brick chimney of the kitchen, the stables were unroofed and shifted on their blocks, and the earth closets were blown over and not fit for further use. The bathroom was off its blocks, and the fence around the building was completely damaged. Some saddlery was damaged, and most of the stationery was destroyed. The matter was referred to the Works Department for attention. On 19 April 1929, a month after taking over the police station, Constable Harry West reported on the limited number of rooms, filth, and poor condition of the accommodation. By February 1930, a new stove had been installed, and a new ceiling for the kitchen and back verandah room. Paint had also been supplied to the constable to paint the inside of the quarters in his spare time. On 5 April 1930, tenders were called for the erection of a new cell building. The contractor, Mr. H. Saal completed the building on 8 July 1930. Constable West purchased a motor car in April 1930. He requested permission to keep the vehicle in the spare stall of the stable. The stable building had two stalls with a feed room attached. There was only one troop horse attached to the station. The station records did not indicate whether permission was granted, but as Constable West was prepared to take out a Fire Policy it was high likely he would be able to accommodate his car in the spare horse stall.
On April 1931, Constable West made a further application for the old cells to be converted into a Court House and police office, so that the present room used for the same purpose in the police quarters could be used as a bedroom. Apart from the need for additional bedroom accommodation, privacy for the police quarters from members of the public was also required. The conversion was completed on 19 September 1931. In 1932 the Department of Works prepared plans for a proposed new dining room to be built between the back verandah of the police quarters, and the kitchen and newly instituted police office and courthouse. The construction was completed in June 1933.
A report on the condition of the Eton police buildings was prepared by Constable David McQuaker on 30 June 1939. In the 12 months prior, a spare room on the western side of the building had been converted into a bathroom, apparently being a considerable improvement on the previous old building used for that purpose. Also a lean to, had been erected at the rear of the kitchen as a washhouse. During September 1941, Contractor Speer was engaged in erecting a new larger police office at Eton. The existing office and court house was considered to be too small, and too hot in the summer months. New furniture was required to replace that made out of benzine and kerosene cases.
During March and April 1942, Constable McQuaker, and Constable Flewell-Smith from Mirani, proceeded on a mounted patrol due to sightings being observed of light signals in the mountains west of Eton, situated in the Connors Ranges, extending from Mount Ben Mohr approximately 10 miles north east of Eton, and a further 10 miles south west in the area of Homebush. Although the identity of the operators of the light signals was not established, Constable McQuaker believed subversive activities were being carried out. In September 1945, a report outlined the decrepit and unsafe conditions found in the Eton police quarters. The provision of a new building was strongly recommended. The Department of Works considered that it would be uneconomical to carry out major repairs, and approval was given for the erection of a new police residence.
For a number of years a private horse was on loan at Eton, and foraged by the police department, but in 1952 the Constable there applied for permission to use his private motor vehicle on police duties which was approved, and the services of the loaned horse was dispensed with. In July 1958, construction of the new police residence was commenced. In October the old residence, including the tanks and stands were sold to the contractor building the new dwelling. Senior Constable Athol Reibelt and family occupied the new residence on 22 November 1958.
An inspection report made by Inspector A. McPhail, described Eton as being situated in the centre of a sugarcane farming and grazing area. The sugar mill was situated at North Eton, about three miles from the police station, and it employed about 400 people during the crushing season. There was one hotel at Eton, and another at the top of Eton range, 12 miles away. There was one butcher shop, and two stores each at Eton and North Eton. In October 1964, town water was being laid on to the residents of Eton. Senior Constable Colin Nicholas applied for a hot water system which was installed at the police residence in April 1965.
In June 1970, Senior Constable Walter Plant requested that a storeroom be provided at the police office. He described the police office as a very small building. Stores, old receipt books, and records were kept in parcels or boxes on the tops of cupboards or in the old stables. The stables had been condemned and were full of silverfish making it impossible to satisfactorily keep any necessary records legible for any length of time. The stables were also severely affected with dry rot and white ants, and was also used to store fire fighting equipment, saddles, and petrol for the police vehicle. By October 1973 a fire-resistant petrol storage shed had been built, and the old stable building removed.
On 26 June 1972, Senior Constable Plant requested that consideration be given to the supply of a garage. There was no departmental vehicle stationed at Eton at that time, and the private vehicles of previous officers were housed in the old stables which had recently been earmarked for demolition. By March 1974, the police station had received a departmental Falcon Sedan, and a request was again made for a garage to be provided. In June 1978, a garage to house the departmental vehicle was completed.
In June 1978, work was underway to enclose the police office verandah to provide more office space. Senior Constable John Howie asked that a new public counter be built in the new enclosure while the workmen were there completing the enclosure to the verandah. The counter was installed on 27 June 1979. An illuminated ‘Police’ sign was installed on 17 November 1978.
In March 1984, the Eton Bush Fire Brigade through the Rural Fires Board requested the acquisition of a ¼ acre block facing Barrier Street, and being part of the Police Reserve, to construct a fire station. The police department had no objection to an area of approximately 825 square metres being excised from the police reserve, as enough land was left for future needs. At this time the police reserve was described as encompassing one face of a hill, which was extremely rocky in nature, and of which the south-east and north-east sections were unsuited for construction without major earthworks.
The Eton Police Station buildings comprised the police office, departmental residence, watchhouse, fuel shed and vehicle shed. The police residence occupied the corner of the reserve facing Telegraph and Victoria Street, and the police office was situated to the north-east facing Telegraph Street towards Barrier Street. Today, Eton Police Station is a single person station, and the Officer in Charge is a Senior Constable. Duties include Clerk of Court and traffic work.
