Arguably the most isolated of modern police stations, Wollogorang was three days (900 Kilometres) by vehicle from Katherine via mostly non-all-weather roads, on the NT/QLD border. It was cut off for most of the wet season. Opened on 07/04/67 and closed in April 1979. It was established to deal with cattle theft in the area and was the last of the single-man stations built in the Northern Territory. Borroloola Police Station is responsible for this district now.

In 1967, Superintendent John Ascoli and his tracker Blue Bob, moved twelve ex police horses from Creswell Downs to Wollogorang police station, it took them seven days. It was to be the last horse plant established at a Police Station in the Northern Territory. The police station was one of the best-built stations and comprised an office, cells, and tracker accommodation. There was a new upstairs three-bedroom house for the officer and his family. Blue Bob asked John if he could build a donga out the back of the station to live in, as he did not like the newly built tracker accommodation. He and John sourced sheets of iron and made a donga. He and Doris would only sleep in it and got up each morning and had their Billy on the fire.

There was no TV in those days, and the radio only worked at night. John states they made two trips a year to Mount Isa to do a shop that lasted them six months, one for the wet season and one for the dry season. There was always plenty to do, with an area spanning to the QLD border to the Robinson River and back as far in the other direction towards Katherine. John states it was one of the best places he has ever worked.

Police Duties consisted of:

Regular patrols around the district on horseback and vehicle

Patrolling the highway

Motor Vehicle Registry duties like licensing and registrations

Domestic violence and anti-social behaviour incidents

General Policing duties

Community engagement

Cattle Duffing

Births, Deaths and Marriages - registrar

Stock inspector

In December 1977, an observant staff member (ex QLD Police Officer) at Mount Isa Airport noticed the distinctive scent of cannabis coming from three ammunition boxes checked in as excess baggage. He reported it to his manager who contacted Police, which led to the arrest of a courier and uncovered an operation far larger than anyone anticipated.

Two days later, a joint Northern Territory and Queensland police task force raided Wollogorang Station on the NT-Queensland border. The investigation revealed what was then the largest cannabis plantation discovered in the Northern Territory, making it one of the Territory's most significant drug seizures of the era.

Cover photo is Wollogorang Police Station, 1967

The photo below is of the wife of a Constable stationed at Wollogorang from 1968 -1972, The Police House is in the back ground