Constable Daniel Midson is the only policeman in Tasmania’s coldest town.
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Constable Midson has been with Tasmania Police since 2010, and accepted the position at Liawenee’s police station at the start of this year.
He and his family – wife Tracey, and children Abbigale, 9, Oliver, 7, and Sophie, 3 – are so far relishing the change of lifestyle.
“It’s a different type of policing,” Constable Midson said.
“The community expectation of the role is a lot different to just working in uniform in Launceston.
“Everyone wants to stop and have a talk to you here, not because there are problems, but because they want to have a chat.
“They ask me if I need help with anything.”
The area under his watch is “massive”, encompassing the Central Highlands, extending to Buckland, Pine Lake, and Liffey.
It’s a job that could see him travel anywhere on any given day, for any reason.
A lot of the time, he is responding to call-outs to incidents that could have been prevented – like cars hitting wildlife, or people being caught out on the some-times rough roads.
As the weather starts to become more consistently inconsistent – “the change of conditions is very quick” – Constable Midson predicts he will be helping out a lot of people who have come to the Highlands to explore, and been caught unawares.
“There is very poor communications (with mobile phone coverage). People come up here for a walk and they don’t take an EPIRB,” he said.
“The phrase ‘She’ll be right’ is something that brings a lot of people undone.”
As a keen fly fisher, when the opportunity to take over the Liawenee post presented itself, Constable Midson was hooked.
But there was more to the decision than just the temptation of fishing on his days off.
He said living at Liawenee – where the family house is attached to the police station – would give his children the opportunity for a childhood that not many get to experience.
The children spend their days exploring the area, riding their bikes, and making friends with the plethora of wildlife that comes right up to the backdoor.
As the school year starts, they’ll be taking part in eSchool.
Constable Midson said he had not put a timeframe on his role at Liawenee, but was prepared to settle in.
“The opportunity to come up here does come up very often. The fellow before was here for five years, and before that, nearly 10 years,” he said.
“I just want to enjoy my time up here, and enjoy the people.”