20. 09. 2016
Police State
So, it turns out, historically, that Bordertown owes its whole existence to police. During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850’s most of South Australia’s able-bodied men fled, spurred on by gold fever. Mostly, they didn’t even come back to SA when they had found gold, leaving the state workforce and economy crippled and on the brink of bankruptcy. The SA Government needed to pull some moves and decided to pursue a more direct route from Adelaide to the SA / VIC border where they intended to exchange gold for valid bank notes, after which the gold would be transported under police escort, back to the capital.
Alexander Tolmer, pictured above, the state’s Inspector of Police oversaw the surveying of the route and the successful execution of a number of gold escorts. Hence, the very existence of Bordertown hinges heavily upon colonial police requirements.
James Dodd
