▁kept ▁to ▁a ▁minimum . ▁The ▁buildings ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁are ▁also ▁subject ▁to ▁storm s ▁and ▁other ▁clim atic ▁extrem es . ▁ ▁Bird sv ille ▁developed ▁as ▁an ▁administrative ▁centre ▁for ▁police ▁and ▁border ▁custom s . ▁It ▁is ▁over ▁ ▁west ▁of ▁Br is b ane ▁and ▁ ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁border ▁with ▁South ▁Australia ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁border ▁posts ▁established ▁before ▁Federation ▁to ▁maintain ▁tar iff ▁walls ▁between ▁the ▁colon ies . ▁Bird sv ille ▁was ▁on ▁a ▁major ▁stock ▁route ▁down ▁the ▁Diam ant ina ▁via ▁Bou lia ▁and ▁Bed our ie ▁to ▁southern ▁mark ets , ▁and ▁it ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁mar sh alling ▁point ▁for ▁cattle ▁being ▁driven ▁south ▁to ▁South ▁Australia . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁town ' s ▁trade ▁was ▁with ▁Ad ela ide , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Bird sv ille ▁was ▁ 1 1 0 , ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁had ▁ 2 ▁general ▁stores , ▁ 3 ▁hot els , ▁a ▁police ▁station , ▁school , ▁ 2 ▁black sm ith ▁sh ops , ▁ 2 ▁b akers , ▁a ▁cord ial ▁manufact urer , ▁boot maker , ▁s add ler , ▁au ction e er ▁& ▁commission ▁agent , ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁resid ences . ▁The ▁population ▁pe aked ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁at ▁ 2 2 0 . ▁ ▁A ▁cour th ouse ▁was ▁constructed ▁by ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Department ▁of ▁Works . ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁contract