Alexander Riley (tracker)

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

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

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

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
  • 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
  • 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, Melbourne University Publishing Ltd, 65 (1): 55(10), ISSN 0815-953X

References
  1. Gray, Geoffrey (2002). "Riley, Alexander (Alec) (1884–1970)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 16. 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. "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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