Kingscote Police Station

Kingscote (Queenscliffe) Police Station and Courthouse. The original Kingscote (Queenscliffe) Police Station of four rooms was built in 1884-85 by Wm. Pett and Son.

Two cells, stables and a store room were apparently constructed at the same time. The cells were of standard dimensions for the era: seven feet by seven feet for the single cell, and seven feet by fourteen feet for the double cell, with wooden beds and pillows. That building can be observed at the rear of this building.

Mounted Constables Frank Withall (1885-1895), William Shegog (1895-1900) and Robert C Thorpe (1900-1919) provided policing from this building from its construction until 1910.

Major additions to the original building were made in 1910-11 with the inclusion of a Courtroom and office, together with a kitchen and bathroom area.

Between 1910 and 1945 on-going improvements were made including the installation of a free standing laundry room, w/c (toilet) adjacent to the cells/stables, fencing, and the conversion of the stables to a motor shed.

Initially Kingscote (Queenscliffe) was a one member Police Station but increased to two members in 1913, reverting to mainly one member operations from 1928 to 1945 and then to three members in 1961.The rank of Officer in Charge was upgraded to Sergeant Third Grade in 1953, an indication of the growing importance of the Soldier Settlement Scheme.

Prior to the stationing of the first Mounted Constable Frank Withall a number of District Constables or "Special Constables" had been appointed to provide a form of local policing to the area, of of whom in 1880 was George Snelling.

The Police Station moved to a new building in Dauncey Street in 1961.

The Old Police Station was built prior to 1891. The old gaol which consisted of two cells is at the rear of this building. When they had time, the policemen would go and help the shop assistants weigh out the merchandise at the stores in Dauncey Street. In the 1950s and 1960s the police had the task of making sure that no alcohol was within 300 yards of any dances and that the dances stopped at midnight.