Boland, David

David Boland was the third Darling Downs born resident to be elected Mayor of Toowoomba.

E J Godsall, Mayor in 1906, was the first native-born citizen to be elected to the position and H K Alford, Mayor in 1911, was the second.

The third generation of the Boland family to be a Downs Mayor, David Boland was unanimously elected to Council’s highest municipal office on February 2, 1914.

His grandfather was Mayor of Drayton and his father, Edmund Boland, was Mayor of Toowoomba in 1889 and 1897.

Born at Cecil Plains, David James Boland was prominently associated with sport, especially horseracing. Much of his personal popularity was achieved as a committeeman and starter for the Toowoomba Turf Club.

Throughout his life he was associated with one of Queensland’s biggest industries – the pastoralists.

He was first elected to council on March 30, 1912, when the Constitution was changed from three wards to one electorate. He also served as an aldermanin 1913 and 1915.

He was also a Justice of the Peace.