The Outback Cop

The Birdsville police posting is one of the most remote in Australia. It can be extremely lonely and incredibly busy at the same time. Nothing might happen for weeks or months, then problems come crawling out of the woodwork. There aren’t many who can handle the job for long—unless you’re Senior Constable Neale McShane, who has single-handedly taken care of this beat the size of the UK for the past 10 years. Recently retired from this "hardship posting," Neale now has a stock of stories and adventures from his life and colorful times living with his family in Birdsville. In recounting these tales to his good friend and bestselling author Evan McHugh, Neale delights us with yarns that could only come from the furthest corner of our country. Here are stories of desert dangers, dead bodies, droughts and floods, drinkers and dreamers—and, of course the infamous Birdsville Races, when the town’s population swells from 50 to 500. So if Birdsville has remained just a little too far off the beaten track for you, sit back and let Birdsville come to you.