Alexander Riley

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. He was the son of a labourer, John Riley, and his wife Mary, née Calligan. He injured his foot in 1912 and resigned from the police force on 31 August 1914. He was also involved in the case of the serial killer “Mad Mossy”.

Riley retired on 13 July 1950

Family life Riley married Ethel Taylor at Wellington on 14 June 1924. They lived at the Talbragar Aboriginal Reserve and together they had eight children.

Riley died on 29 October 1970 at Dubbo. 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 Michael Riley, his great-grandson, made a short documentary film, Blacktracker, that was screened by the Australian Broadcasting Commission in September 1997.