A world away from Sydney, Moulamein’s latest police officer Matt Edwards is feeling at home in the country. A keen AFL player, Edwards grew up 60km from Sydney and dreamed of an AFL career.

“I was in the Giants Academy and played a few games for the Giants reserves. You can tell by that stage, if you’re going make it or not, and I was realistic with myself that I wasn’t good enough.” said Edwards.

“I wanted to be a footy player first; if that didn’t work out, my backup was always to become a cop.”

Edwards’ first posting with NSW Police was the Sydney suburb of Sutherland.

“It was a good command to learn in. It was busy but not so much that you’re completely run off your feet, and the type of jobs there were good, your bread-and-butter type of policing.”

With itchy feet to take on a new challenge, Edwards volunteered to take on what is normally a twelve-month secondment, on the Sydney train network.

“I did that in the Sydney city itself, I worked out of the Central Station and it was an eye opener.”

“So many homeless people, more drug-affected people than I had dealt with in Sutherland, and a lot more youth crime.”

“It was a great experience, and I gained a lot more Police related skills. You develop the ability to start a conversation with anyone. In general duties, you get called to a job, whereas in the trains, you’re initiating a conversation with someone with no context behind it.”

After conversations with a fellow train officer about his experience as a country copper, Edwards posed a hypothetical question to his partner about leaving city life. After an unexpected ‘yes’ to a move to the country, Edwards made some phone calls and was excited by the prospect of bringing an officer back to Moulamein.

“I did a lot of research into the town, and then it was a matter of finishing my year on the trains, and it was pretty much to the day of finishing the trains and starting at Moulamein.”

“Everyone here has been so good. Luckily we’re involved in the footy club and netball club, so we’ve made mates through that. That was actually part of the decision processes, to make sure they had sporting opportunities. I’d never go anywhere that didn’t play footy, because I could never play rugby league, I’m just not cut out for it.”

“We were having a chat the other week saying how much we were loving it, and I think we would know by now if we were missing home too much.”

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 10 April 2025.