Constable Matthew Arnold Print Page 
On the afternoon of Monday 12 December 2022, Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold from Tara Police Station and Constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough from Chinchilla Police Station, responded to a request for police assistance relating to a missing person investigation. The officers were tasked to attend an isolated rural address at Wains Road, Wieambilla. This area consists of remote large acreage properties of heavy scrub and bushland with limited public services and limited visibility of residences from the road. Upon arrival at the address, the Constables parked their police vehicles outside the boundary fence and jumped a locked gate across the unsealed driveway.
The Constables walked together in the direction of the residence, which was situated several hundred metres along the driveway and not visible from the front gate. As the Constables walked towards the residence, they came under fire by offenders armed with high-powered rifles who had concealed themselves at the side of the driveway, Constable Arnold was fatally shot. Constable McCrow was also shot at this time and commenced treating her own wounds whilst using her body worn camera to record her observations at the scene. She defended herself by firing her service Glock in the direction of the offenders and was then fatally shot. Constables Kirk and Brough were able to escape the initial gunfire and call for back-up. Constable Kirk shot at the offenders and withdrew from the property under heavy gunfire. Constable Brough was able to take cover in bushland until her extraction from the property.
The Wieambilla shootings were a religiously motivated terrorist attack. It involved the killing of police constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, and neighbour Alan Dare, at the rural property in Wiembilla. Three residents, brothers Gareth and Nathaniel Train, and Gareth's wife, Stacey Train, were subsequently shot and killed by responding police. The shootings were labelled as Australia's first fundamentalist Christian terrorist attack.Location
| Address: | Roseneath Drive, Parkinson, 4115 |
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| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -27.636421 Long: 153.029231 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Park |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Crime |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 12-December-2022 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 12-December-2022 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Wednesday 26th July, 2023 |
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CONSTABLE MATTHEW ARNOLD
MEMORIAL PARK
This park is named in honour of Constable Matthew Arnold who proudly grew up in Parkinson, a talented sportsman and a State and Australian Schoolboys representative in Volleyball. He dedicated his life as a Police Officer to serving Brisbane and the Western Downs communities and often returned to the Arnold Family home. Constable Matthew Arnold was tragically killed in the line of duty alongside Constable Rachel McCrow in December 2022. This memorial park stands as a lasting tribute to his service, committment to his communities and the ultimate sacrifice he made. With Honour He Served.
