The Border Police served beyond the "Boundaries of Location" under the direction of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, meeting the expense out of the squatters' fees on the stock rates. The commissioner had means of enforcing the law, also protecting: and controlling the Aborigines. When the Gwydir Squattage District was separated from Liverpool Plains in 1847, the headquarters for the Border Police was at Tamworth. This police district seemed to go out of existence and the equipment was handed to the newly established Warialda Office of the Bench of Magistrates . Saddles were retained to mount aborigines as trackers. The Warialda Bench established four constables on the McIntyre River in 1848. Native Police were recruited from four different tribes. From then settlers had fewer problems in the development of the area.
The Boomi Police Station was established in Bishop Street in 1901. The weatherboard building consisted of the Station, Courthouse, office and quarters for the police, within the same building. A separate cell stood at the side and stables at the rear of the block.
Boomi had a strength of two policemen with extra support when needed until 1941, then it was reduced to a one-man Police Station. The horse gave way to the motor bike, the car and the four-wheel drive vehicle. The Courthouse, with limited use, was retained till the early 1960s.
POLICE APPOINTMENTS
John Moren 1901 William Smith 1922-24 Edmund George 1950 William Anderson 1901 E. W. Figures 1924 Francis Huggins 1951 Alex McFie 1903 Horace Johnson 1927-31 Francis Cooper 1955 M. Day 1904 Edward Ayres 1933 Frank Weaver 1957 S. R. Robinson 1904 Horace Johnson 1934-36 John Harvison 1961 P. J. Purtell 1906 William Wiggins 1936 Kenneth Rogers 1966 Maurice Roche 1906 Alfred Waining 1937 John Kellv 1969 George Shead 1907 William Parker 1937 Robert McIntyre 1972 Harold Payne 1911 Alexander Pym 1939 Gary Handford 1975 Wilfred Goodwin 1910-17 E. Lyons 1940 Robert Morley 1978 James McDonald 1917 Frederick Stenner l940 Kenneth Medway 1980 Harris 1920 Charles Walker 1941 Charles Auld 1983 Moloney 1920 Thomas Schuback 1941 Alan Cusack 1986 Patrick Costello 1922 Allen Nielson 1945
All historical information and B & W Pictures contained in this site are from the book UP ON THE BORDER BOOMI by Ellen Allen, published in 1988, and used with permission.
Kunopia - The Township | Village of Boomi | The Artesian Bore | Boomi Post Office |
Royal Hotel | Pioneer Hotel | Police Station | Boomi Public School |