Mount Gould

They say you can run, but you can’t hide from the long arm of the law!

Can you imagine, however, the situation back in the 1870s and 1880s in the remote outback of Western Australia when pastoralists began to spread out across the country in search of good sheep and cattle grazing country, and any form of civilisation, and the law, was a long, long way behind?

When these intrepid settlers reached the east Gascoyne region of Western Australia some 450km inland from the nearest town of Carnarvon on the west coast, needless to say, they were pretty much on their own.

Out here around Mount Gould, where several of these outback pioneers took up what they assessed to be good sheep grazing country, they did so with hope in their hearts and a belief that, even though the conditions out here were tough, they were going to make a go of it.

Their livelihood was obviously going to rest with their sheep, and as such, most settlers preferred to shoot or trap local game  such as kangaroos and emus for food, rather than slaughter their valuable sheep. Sheep stealing (just like cattle rustling elsewhere) understandingly aroused considerable passion amongst those early squatters and shepherds, and across the land this was indeed considered to be a most serious crime.

An old water tank

The local Aboriginal communities, however, had quite a different view. They had progressively seen white settlers come into their country, dominate the meagre local water supplies, and killed or frightened off much of the native wildlife that had traditionally represented a large part of their food supply. Accordingly, they took the view that sheep were now a legitimate source of food.

Given these two opposing positions, it is hardly surprising that a ‘clash of cultures’ took place during those early times, resulting in a number of serious conflicts as the newcomers tried to defend their flocks, and Aborigines tried to secure a relatively easy feed for themselves and their families.

With the nearest police stationed a couple of weeks travel away by horseback or camel in Carnarvon (450km) or Geraldton (930km), and the settlers mostly left, in their view, with little choice but to ‘take matters into their own hands’, the scene was set to progressively become even worse.

As they grew more and more frustrated with their situation, the settlers eventually got together and built the Mt Gould Police Station and Lock-up, and proceeded to convince the authorities to base officers out here in this lonely outpost. Their efforts were rewarded,  and the new station commenced operation in 1888 and, at its peak, had four policemen and up to six Aboriginal trackers.

With the law close at hand, and able to respond quickly when trouble arose, the pastoralists could primarily return to their job of trying to make a go of it out here.

The police station at Mount Gould

Whilst the police presence acted as a deterrent, sheep stealing and other offences, however, continued for some years. Serious offenders were taken on an arduous journey of several weeks to Carnarvon – prisoners on foot (in chains) and  police on camels or horseback. Lesser offenders served their time in the small lock-up behind the police station here at Mt Gould.

By 1902 and with the gold boom (across the Murchison Goldfields) now in full swing, the quickly developing town of Meekatharra, just 158km away, had developed a substantial police force, including enough resources to provide regular patrols to outlying districts. A decision was taken in that year to close the separate Mt Gould Station and the buildings, now abandoned, were used by local pastoralists as a station outcamp.

Over the ensuing years the buildings gradually deteriorated until 1987, when with funds from the WA Heritage Committee, the Meekatharra Shire undertook a program of restoration, including  a full roof replacement for both buildings. Also of interest is a lonely grave fenced off around 70 metres away, containing the remains of a cook and gardener of the lock-up, Phil Connors from Ireland, who ‘died hereabouts 3 September 1913 aged between 50-60 years’.

There’s plenty of space to pull up in your RV at the Mt Gould lock-up

Today, a visit to the Mt Gould Police Station and Lock-up is like a flash back to the past. Whilst it is still a lonely place out here (with no caretaker or anyone else around), it is hard to imagine life more than 100 years ago when there were no roads, no telephone, no radio communication, probably little in the way of a mail service, almost no visitors and, in summer, temperatures regularly over the old 100°F scale (37°C plus). Working conditions out here would have been pretty harsh indeed.

Mount Gould, after which the old lock-up was named, stands around one kilometre away to the northeast. Located on the banks of a small creek, a tributary of the Murchison River, the birdlife here (when there is water in the creek) is quite prolific, including wild bush budgies, parrots and finches. The flat, open area behind the old Police Station makes a splendid camping spot for today’s travellers. There are no facilities so ‘leave no trace’ and make sure you take all your rubbish with you.

The grave of Phil Connors who died in 1913

For travellers following in the wheel ruts of the ‘Kingsford Smith Mail Run Pathway’ (one of several pathway trails recently developed across this Gascoyne/Murchison Region) the Mt Gould stop-off is one of many interesting sites to visit along the way.

Category: Destinations
Written: Mon 01 Jan 2018
Printed: January, 2018
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