Making A Dream Come True

Many young girls growing up have a fascination with horses, perhaps owning one and joining a pony club. One young Hunter woman who never had a horse during her childhood had a long standing dream to become an officer with the NSW Police Force and a  member of the Mounted Unit and made it come true.

Senior Constable Melinda Berghofer, 27-years-old,  was raised in Nabiac, a small untouched and charming country town located 22 km north-west of Forster-Tuncurry. The Pacific Highway now bypasses the town however, somehow Nabiac has managed to miss all the developments of the north coast and retains its charm.

She had a dream to one day join the police force and become a member of the mounted police unit. After graduating from Year 12 at Great Lakes College she joined the police force, graduating from Goulburn Police Academy in May 2009. She then served three years each at Brisbane Water Local Area Command and Newcastle Police Transport Command.

Her dream of becoming a member of the mounted police unit, the oldest continuous operational mounted unity in the world formed in 1825, was still yet to be.

Melinda began horse riding lessons and as a complete novice rider was absolutely dedicated to learning all facets of horse management which was part of the job. Learning how to ride bare back and jump hurdles, two of the entry requirements, was no easy task for a novice rider, something some experienced riders cannot do.  Melinda was so keen and determined she leased a horse for a year to gain more practical hands-on experience.

Story Marilyn Collins.