Police Reserve Complex (former)

Adjacent to the court house is the police reserve. The first police station was established in 1886, shortly after the goldfields were declared. The town continued to grow, and a lock-up, additional cells and stables were added by 1889. In 1896, local contractor James Lancaster constructed a large timber building for use as police barracks and further cells were built the following year. A residence for the officer in charge was built in 1899. As the town declined into the early 20th century, some of the structures were either reduced in size or removed. By 1937 there were only 250 people in town, which had a population of over 4000 at its peak in 1887. New police buildings were erected at the rear of the original one in 1977. From 1982, the National Trust of Queensland occupied the early buildings until the Croydon Shire assumed management and included the police station in its heritage and museum precinct.