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Alexander Riley (tracker)

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Alexander Riley (1884-1970) was an Australian Aboriginal tracker from the Dubbo area and the first Aboriginal person to gain the rank of sergeant in the New South Wales Police Force.

Early years

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Riley was born 26 May 1884 at Nymagee, New South Wales.[1] He was the son of a labourer, John Riley, and his wife Mary, née Calligan.[1]

Career

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After working as a stationhand, Riley joined the New South Wales Police Force as a tracker on 11 June 1911.[1][2][3][4] He injured his foot in 1912[5] and resigned from the police force on 31 August 1914.[1] Riley was reappointed to the NSW police force on 1 January 1918. He was promoted to sergeant on 5 August 1941.[1] He was the first Aboriginal sergeant in the New South Wales police force.[1]

Some of his most notable cases included the capture of Roy Governor, the youngest brother of bushranger Jimmy Governor, at Mendooran in June 1923.[1] He found a barefoot six-year-old girl who had been lost for twenty-four hours in the mountains near Stuart Town.[1][6] He was also involved in the case of the serial killer “Mad Mossy”.[7]

Riley retired on 13 July 1950[1] but was denied - alongside female employees and other aboriginals - a police pension (due to him being regarded as a "special part-time employee") even though he had been contributing to the pension from his salary.[8]

Family life

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Riley married Ethel Taylor at Wellington on 14 June 1924.[1][9] They lived at the Talbragar Aboriginal Reserve and together they had eight children.[9]

Riley was a keen footballer and athlete. He coached in athletics at Dubbo for many years.[10]

Riley died on 29 October 1970 at Dubbo.[1]

Awards and memorials

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  • King’s Police & Fire Services Medal for Distinguished Service – granted 1 January 1943[11][12]
  • Tracker Riley Walkway and Cycle Path along the Macquarie River in Dubbo named in his honour - opened June 1997 by Riley’s grand daughter, Kathy Green, and the Minister for Roads, Carl Scully[9][13]
  • Michael Riley, his great-grandson, made a short documentary film, Blacktracker, that was screened by the Australian Broadcasting Commission in September 1997.[9][14]

Further reading

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  • Langton, Marcia (2006-03-01), "Out from the shadows: Marcia Langton considers the significance and traces the development of the aboriginal tracker figure in Australian film", Meanjin, 65 (1), Melbourne University Publishing Ltd: 55(10), ISSN 0815-953X

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gray, Geoffrey (2002). "Riley, Alexander (Alec) (1884–1970)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. 16. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  2. ^ Police trackers : further jottings from exSergeant- Tracker Rileys scrapbook, 1957, retrieved 12 August 2018
  3. ^ "A Black-Tracker Tells His Story". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 76. New South Wales, Australia. 9 July 1950. p. 9 (Features). Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Bennett, Michael. "Alexander Riley". Pathfinders NSW — A History of NSW Aboriginal Trackers. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Dubbo". Leader. New South Wales, Australia. 13 August 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Stuart Town". Wellington Times. No. 2391. New South Wales, Australia. 2 January 1919. p. 5. Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Tracker Riley: Outback Hero — Part One, retrieved 2021-07-28
  8. ^ "Forgotten Australia: Tracker Riley: Outback Hero — Part Three on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  9. ^ a b c d "The story of 'Tracker' Riley". Daily Liberal. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Dubbo Runners to Compete in Wagga Gift". The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. Vol. 39, no. 306. New South Wales, Australia. 20 December 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Alexander Riley". Australian Police. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Premier's Tribute". Wellington Times. No. 4733. New South Wales, Australia. 11 January 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 12 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Tracker Riley Walkway and Cycle Path Dubbo". Macquarie River Trails. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  14. ^ Riley, Michael; Riley, Bernadette Yhi; Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2005), Blacktracker: Sgt Alexander Riley, ABC, retrieved 12 August 2018
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