QUEENSLAND’S first Mounted Unit policewoman has finally received recognition for her service more than 30 years after she left the force.
Inspector David Kolb of the Specialist Services Group presented Buccan resident Heather Crack with a 10 year service medal at the Mounted Unit headquarters in Moggill on Wednesday.
Ms Crack was one of three officers who formed the Queensland Mounted Unit in August 1974.
She resigned as a Senior Constable in 1985 to start a family.
Ms Crack said she never expected to receive the medal and was “pleasantly surprised”.
“I was shocked when I found out I was receiving the medal,” she said.
Ms Crack said she broke the norm when she was employed as a Mounted Unit policewoman.
“I use to get letters from policewomen from all over Australia because it was more of a male dominated industry,” she said.
Ms Crack said she saw many big and positive changes to the unit.
“We didn’t have the facilities they have now,” she said.
“They have a team of riders working on the horses all the time and they go out and do patrol work.
“We didn’t do patrol work but we would have loved to.”
Ms Crack said after seeing the unit train this week, she was amazed at the opportunities afforded to this generation.
“It would have been marvelous to do all of that in our day,” she said.
“We use to do a lot of ceremonial work and tent pegging.”
Even though her mounting days were over, Ms Crack continues to work with horses in her stables.
Jocelyn Garcia
Jocelyn is a journalist at the Redland City Bulletin, covering education issues and school stories. She was a former journalist at Beaudesert Times, reporting about crime, schools and agriculture.
Jocelyn is a journalist at the Redland City Bulletin, covering education issues and school stories. She was a former journalist at Beaudesert Times, reporting about crime, schools and agriculture.
