Residents worry as Central Qld town of Marlborough descends into chaos

More details can be revealed about the worries facing residents of Marlborough - the Central Queensland community dubbed the lawless town - and also another township nearby.

The lack of police presence at Marlborough is causing the community concern. Inset: Livingstone Shire councillor Glenda Mather.

Community unrest in the small Central Queensland township of Marlborough had reached boiling point long before a reported assault saw an unconscious man allegedly “gutter stomped” a few weeks ago.

As was recently reported by this publication, Marlborough locals are living in fear and feeling helpless amid concerns their community has descended into an unruly state, with the biggest worry being the long vacant one-officer police station at a time when the population has increased through three workers’ camps being established for the Clarke Creek Wind Farm and Shoalwater Bay Training Area upgrades.

This has meant police responding to incidents at Marlborough have had to travel from Rockhampton, which is 100km away.

What has not previously been reported is, back in early November, Livingstone Shire councillor Glenda Mather wrote a letter to the organisation’s CEO Cale Dendle in which she detailed a series of concerns about the situation at Marlborough.

And she further raised concerns on behalf of residents of another nearby community.

Locals are concerned about the lack of police in Marlborough after a man was seriously injured in an alleged assault there on January 14, 2023, and police had to travel from Rockhampton which is an hour away.

In the letter, Ms Mather gave notice of her intention to move a motion that the council write to Queensland’s Police Minister Mark Ryan to voice its “extreme concerns over the prolonged absence of a permanent police presence in the township of Marlborough”.

Ms Mather said at that time, Marlborough had two paramedics, only voluntary SES personnel and no police officer.

“The presence of over 500 itinerant workers housed in camps and private accommodation in Marlborough and further at Clarke Creek are all related to military and other major developments in the area,” Ms Mather said.

“This large influx of workers currently need a police presence.”

Ms Mather added that a police presence “is often warranted” in the Stanage Bay township which is 125km north-east of Marlborough.

Ms Mather said water police were “often called in to address criminal activity” at Stanage Bay.

“More recently there were two break-ins in the town, by alleged non-residents,” she said in her November letter.

Livingstone Shire councillor Glenda Mather.

In terms of the overall situation at Marlborough, Ms Mather said: “The QAS (Queensland Ambulance Service) residence is now being assumed to be the public place to get help, placing an unnecessary risk to the safety of the officers.”

Ms Mather said it was “unfair to expect this small community to protect its own and carry the responsibilities of this (police) absence indefinitely.”

Marlborough police station.

Ms Mather also pointed out that police in this area had to deal with the section of Bruce Highway between St Lawrence and Yaamba historically known as “the horror stretch” for having some of the most serious crashes.

At Livingstone’s November meeting, councillors voted unanimously to support Ms Mather’s motion to write to the Police Minister outlining the concerns.

Then at council’s January meeting, on the back of another motion from Ms Mather, councillors voted unanimously to write to the Police Minister highlighting the recent alleged serious assault at Marlborough and asking for a temporary police officer to be assigned to the town’s station until a permanent was appointed.

As was reported by this publication on January 25, Queensland Police Service advised the recruitment for the vacant police officer position at Marlborough was in process and it was “expected to be filled in the near future”.

“The necessity for police presence across the Capricornia District is monitored regularly and resources are allocated as required,” a QPS spokesman said.

“The Queensland Police Service is constantly assessing demand and staffing across the district and will adapt our ways of working to meet the expectations of the community.”

Marlborough is in the jurisdiction of Mirani in state politics under MP Stephen Andrew and Livingstone Shire Council in local government.

It is understood the township, which has a population of 154 people (2021 Census), hasn’t had a local police officer for about 12 months.

Originally published as Residents worry as Central Qld town of Marlborough descends into chaos