# New Book Investigates Colonial Australia’s Native Mounted Police Force A scholarly analysis examines the infrastructure and history of a controversial frontier force. - **Source:** [The Conversation – Australia](https://theconversation.com/au) - **Published:** 2026-11-09 - **Topic:** [culture](https://brifing.si/c/culture) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/f3c4bca0-093f-4bc1-9760-12696f6cd848 ## Investigating a Violent Legacy The book Buried explores the Queensland Native Mounted Police, a force operating from 1849 until 1929. Authors Heather Burke, Lynley Wallace, and Bryce Barker utilize historical archaeology to examine this colonial institution. The study aims to shed light on a system linked to the deaths of over 40,000 Aboriginal people across Queensland. ## Methodology and Archaeological Scope The research team surveyed 26 camps and excavated eight sites between 2016 and 2020. They focused exclusively on base camps rather than massacre sites, citing the difficulty of identifying such locations. This approach prioritizes the physical infrastructure of the force, uncovering thousands of items including government-issued gold buttons and various ceramic shards. ## Limits of Material Evidence Critics argue that focusing solely on domestic debris like crockery and buttons risks falling into antiquarianism. While these artifacts provide a detailed account of camp infrastructure, they fail to capture the violent reality of field operations. The authors acknowledge that such mundane domestic items often mask the brutal nature of colonial policing. ## Revised Scale of Operations The book provides a significant contribution through its archival research, which radically updates previous estimates. The authors identified 176 potential camps, nearly doubling earlier figures. Furthermore, the records show 447 white officers and over 1,027 Aboriginal troopers served in the force, indicating a much larger and more pervasive colonial enterprise. ## The Gap in Trooper Perspectives Despite the expanded personnel data, the personal experiences of Aboriginal troopers remain largely absent from the historical record. There are no known accounts detailing why these individuals enlisted or their lives after leaving the force. This silence in the archives leaves a critical gap in understanding the internal dynamics of the organization. ## Documentary Evidence vs Archaeology The study is most effective when integrating traditional archival research with its archaeological findings. Maps showing the widespread distribution of barracks across the colony offer a clear visual representation of the force's reach. These documents provide context that the physical excavation of camp sites alone cannot offer to the modern reader. ## Overlooked Historical Accounts The book omits key historical sources, such as the correspondence of schoolmaster Millais Culpin. Writing between 1892 and 1897, Culpin documented the violent reality of frontier life, including the tracking and killing of Aboriginal people. Such primary accounts offer visceral insights into the lethal outcomes that structural archaeological data often fails to capture. ## Comparison with Previous Research Earlier scholars like C.D. Rowley and Jonathan Richards laid the groundwork for understanding this frontier conflict. Rowley’s 1970 study, which identified the force as a niche for sadists, is notably absent from the new book. Integrating these foundational works could have provided a more comprehensive analysis of the force's systemic violence. ## The Ongoing Search for Truth While Buried offers a detailed look at the physical remnants of the Native Mounted Police, the history of frontier violence remains complex. Future research must continue to bridge the gap between archaeological findings and archival testimonies. Understanding this past is essential, as the history of these sites remains buried beneath our feet. ## Sources covering this story - https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-sheds-light-on-the-camps-of-colonial-australias-most-ruthless-killing-machine-291877 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._