East Melbourne, Darling Street 012, 014, 16, 18, The Old Police Station

Not known

Initially described in the Rate Books as six rooms, the following year the description changes to five rooms, pantry, bath and shed, and by 1875 it has become seven rooms. The house was built on a wide block with vacant land to the house's south. Fielding lived in the house until 1883 when he sold it to Robert Richardson who added another room. From this time it was leased to the police and was the local police station.  The sergeant in charge lived on the premises, with constables rostered on during the day. At some point a small wooden building was erected on the vacant land for use as an office. In 1953 when the Police Station relocated to Vale Street this small building was transported to Wilsons Promontory as a holiday house.  

Winston Burchett reports that at midnight one night in 1919 Senior Constable Koetsveldt heard rapid gunfire close by which turned out to have come from the house in Darling Street on the corner of Gipps Street where one of Squizzy Taylor's gang was living.

By 1900 James Perle Browne was the owner of the building. Browne was also the owner of the stables two doors down at No. 28.

The house has been demolished and replaced by two town houses