Police Station

The first evidence of law in the district was at Strawberry where P.C. Joseph Watson was stationed from 1863. His territory covered a vast area extending into the Murchison. In 1893 a resident Police Constable was appointed to the private town of Mingenew. This was the gold boom era when police were on duty 24 hours a day and were responsible for a multitude of tasks over and above their policing duties including first aid, local debtors, collecting the annual agricultural statistics and collecting license fees for cats and dogs.
In 1897 a new police station and quarters were built of local stone at a cost of 500 pounds. Its solid construction, high ceilings and thick walls made it the coolest residence in town. This building has survived thanks to the efforts of Mingenew Historical Society members who campaigned strongly for its retention when it was threatened with demolition in the 1970’s. It is now used as a residence.
The station’s two-celled stone lockup was built in 1898, which meant prisoners no longer needed to be chained to a tree while waiting for the arrival of the visiting magistrate. Despite being in poor condition, open to public view and a security risk, this lockup continued to be used to house prisoners until 1980 when it was demolished.
In 1964 a new building, housing the courthouse and police station facility, was opened. The court house facility remained in operation until 2015.
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