Boroondara General Cemetery, often referred to as Kew cemetery, is one of the oldest

cemeteries A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

in Victoria, Australia, created in the tradition of the Victorian garden cemetery. The cemetery, located in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, is listed as a heritage place on the Victorian Heritage Register.

History

The cemetery site was reserved in 1855 and trustees were first appointed in 1858. A site plan was drawn up by Frederick Acheson, a civil engineer in the Public Lands Office, with the layout segregated by religious denomination, a common occurrence at the time. The first burial took place in 1859. In 1864

Albert Purchas Albert Purchas (1825 – 1909) was a prominent 19th century architect and surveyor in Melbourne, Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Early life Albert Purchas was born in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales in 1825, the son of Robert Whittlesey Purcha ...

, who was architect and surveyor for the Melbourne General Cemetery, joined the trust. Purchas is believed to be the designer of the landscape layout as well as many of the features of the cemetery including the cast iron entrance gates (1889), the rotunda (1890) and the surrounding ornamental brick wall (1895–6), as well as various additions to the original 1860 Cottage in the period 1866–1899 including the clock tower. The design of the cemetery was influenced by the

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

garden cemetery movement. This influence was reflected in the curving path network following the contours of the site, the creation of defined views and a park like setting. In the latter half of the twentieth century the cemetery was becoming full and many pathways and grassed verges were used to provide new burial sites. At the same time, many of the older

monuments began to fall into disrepair due to their age and lack of funding to maintain them. However, since about 2010, with the assistance of enthusiastic volunteers from the Friends of Boroondara (Kew) Cemetery, the cemetery is undergoing a horticultural renaissance, returning to its early glory as a garden cemetery. In 2001 the Peace Haven

Mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consid ...

was built by the Cemetery Trust to cater for growing demand for above-ground burials and interments, and in 2011 garden crypts were opened in a bushland setting near the High Street pedestrian gate. The cemetery is still an operating cemetery, offering a range of burial and interment options.

Burials and memorials

The cemetery has had more than 80,000 burials since 1859. Among these are some very prominent Melburnians. The Syme memorial was constructed in 1908 in memory of David Syme, publisher of '' The Age'' newspaper. It has a temple-like appearance and Egyptian

motif Motif may refer to: General concepts * Motif (chess composition), an element of a move in the consideration of its purpose * Motif (folkloristics), a recurring element that creates recognizable patterns in folklore and folk-art traditions * Moti ...

s. Between 1889 and 1907 the Springthorpe Memorial was constructed on behalf of Dr

John Springthorpe John William Springthorpe (1855–1933) was an Australian physician. He was the first Australian graduate to become a member of the Royal College of Physicians of London. Springthorpe came to Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales when a young ...

in memory of his wife, Annie and in 1912 the Cussen Memorial was commissioned by Sir Leo Cussen, a judge of the

Victorian Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Victoria is the highest court in the Australian state of Victoria. Founded in 1852, it is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited and inherent jurisdiction within the state. The Supreme Court compri ...

as a memorial to his son, Hubert. The latter is a small chapel designed in the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style. The Springthorpe and Cussen Memorials are listed separately on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Notable interments

John Arthur Andrews John Arthur "Jack" or "J.A." Andrews (27 October 1865 – 26 July 1903), was an Australian anarchist theoretician, agitator and journalist. He was also a poet and inventor and author of fiction. He was born in Bendigo, Victoria to John Andrew ...

(1865-1903), anarchist, journalist, poet, linguist *

George Henry Bennett George Henry Bennett (18508 September 1908) was a brewer and a politician. Bennett was born in Buckie, Banffshire, Scotland. His family emigrated to Australia in 1855. He managed the Victoria Sugar Co. and later, with a partner, owned Excelsi ...

(1850-1908), brewer, benefactor, politician, Mayor of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

, president of

Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football team playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). Between its inception in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond in 1885 and 1907, the club competed in the Victo ...

Graham Berry Sir Graham Berry, (28 August 1822 – 25 January 1904), Australian colonial politician, was the 11th Premier of Victoria. He was one of the most radical and colourful figures in the politics of colonial Victoria, and made the most determined e ...

(1822-1904), Premier of Victoria *

Joseph Bosisto Joseph Bosisto CMG, MLA JP (21 March 1827 – 8 November 1898), was a chemist and politician in colonial Victoria, Australia. Background Bosisto was the son of William Bosisto and Maria née Lazenby, of Cookham, Berkshire, and was born on 21 ...

(1827-1898), chemist, politician, eucalyptus manufacturer and advocate *

Louis Buvelot Louis Buvelot ( Morges 3 March 1814 – Melbourne 30 May 1888), born Abram-Louis Buvelot, was a Swiss landscape painter who lived 17 years in Brazil and following 5 years back in Switzerland stayed 23 years in Australia, where he influenced the H ...

(1814-1888), artist * E.W.Cole (1832-1918), "Cole of the Book Arcade", bookseller and children's book publisher *

Amalie Colquhoun Amalie Sara Colquhoun (20 March 1894 – 16 June 1974) was an Australian landscape and portrait painter who is represented in national and state galleries. In addition to painting landscapes, portraits and still lifes, Colquhoun designed and s ...

(1894-1974), artist *Madge Connor (1874-1952), pioneering police officer, private investigator *

Evelyn Conyers Evelyn Augusta Conyers, (1 March 1870 – 6 September 1944) was a New Zealand-born Australian matron-in-chief of the Australian Army Nursing Service during the First World War. She was its first member to be awarded the Florence Nightingale Me ...

(1870-1944), Australian army nursing matron *

Leo Cussen Sir Leo Finn Bernard Cussen (29 November 1859 – 17 May 1933), Australian jurist, was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Cussen died at his home in Melbourne on 17 May, 1933. Early life and education Cussen was born in Portland on ...

(1859-1933), jurist * William Davidson (1844-1920), engineer, pioneer of Melbourne's water supply *

Owen Dixon Sir Owen Dixon (28 April 1886 – 7 July 1972) was an Australian judge and diplomat who served as the sixth Chief Justice of Australia. A judge of the High Court for thirty-five years, Dixon was one of the leading jurists in the English-s ...

(1886-1972), Chief Justice * Edmund Duggan (1862-1938), actor & playwright *

Frank Gavan Duffy Sir Frank Gavan Duffy, KCMG, KC (29 February 1852 – 29 July 1936) was an Australian judge who served as the fourth Chief Justice of Australia, in office from 1931 to 1935. His total service on the High Court of Australia was from 1913 to ...

(1852-1936), Chief Justice * Edward Dunn (1844-1937), geologist * William Fitchett (1841-1928), journalist, educator *Major General John Forsyth (1867-1928), soldier *

Thomas Sergeant Hall Thomas Sergeant Hall (23 December 1858 – 21 December 1915) was an Australian geologist and biologist, recipient of The Murchison Fund in 1901. Early life Hall was born in Geelong, the son of Thomas March Hall, a business man originally from L ...

(1858-1915), scientist *

Lesbia Harford Lesbia Harford (9 April 1891 – 5 July 1927) was an Australian poet, novelist and political activist. Biography Lesbia Venner Keogh was the first child of Edmund Joseph Keogh and Beatrice Eleanor Moore, great-great-granddaughter of an Earl of ...

(1891-1927), poet *

H.C.A. Harrison Henry Colden Antill Harrison (16 October 1836 – 2 September 1929) was an athlete and Australian rules footballer who played a leading role in pioneering the sport. Harrison's cousin, champion cricketer Tom Wills, captained an early incarnat ...

(1836-1929), sports administrator, pioneer of Australian Rules Football *Helen Hart (1842-1908), feminist, evangelist * Edythe Ellison Harvie (1902-1984), architect * Edward Henty (1812-1878), pioneer *Major General Godfrey Irving (1867-1937), soldier *Jules François de Sales Joubert (1824–1907), impresario, prospector *

Ian MacFarlan Ian Macfarlan (born John Robert Macfarlan; 21 November 1881 – 19 March 1964) was the Deputy Leader of the Australian Liberal Party in the Australian state of Victoria during 1945. He was briefly commissioned as the 35th Premier of Victor ...

(1881-1964), Premier of Victoria *

Marion Macfarlane Marion Macfarlane (19 July 1840 – 29 April 1898) was the first woman to be ordained in the Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Church in Australia. She was ordained to the "Female Diaconate" in 1884 in the Diocese of Melbourne, then in 188 ...

(1840-1898), Anglican deaconess and Roman Catholic nun *John Simpson Mackennal (1832-1901), sculptor & architect * Mona McBurney (1862-1932), composer *

Georgiana McCrae Georgiana Huntly McCrae (15 March 1804 – 24 May 1890) was an English-Australian painter and diarist. Early life Born in London, she was the illegitimate daughter of George Gordon, the Marquess of Huntly, son and heir to Alexander, 4th Duk ...

(1804-1890), pioneer, artist, diarist *

William Murray McPherson Sir William Murray McPherson, KBE (17 September 1865 – 26 July 1932) was an Australian philanthropist and politician. He was the 31st Premier of Victoria. Early life and philanthropy He was born in Melbourne, the son of a prosperous Scottis ...

(1865-1932), Premier of Victoria * John Michell (1863-1940), mathematician * Francis Murphy (1809-1891), politician, first Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly * Charles Nuttall (1872-1934), artist, writer * William Orr (1843-1929), mining magnate and politician * John Gibson Paton (1824-1907), Presbyterian missionary to Vanuatu *Carl Pinschof (1855-1926), merchant, consul, arts patron *

(1825-1909), architect, surveyor * Joseph Reed (1823-1890), architect * Stanley Savige (1890-1954), soldier, founder of

Legacy In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...

(1855-1933), physician *

Nellie Stewart Nellie Stewart, born Eleanor Stewart Towzey (20 November 1858 – 21 June 1931) was an Australian actress and singer, known as "Our Nell" and "Sweet Nell". Born into a theatrical family, Stewart began acting as a child. As a young woman, she ...

(1858-1931), actor and singer * George Sutherland (1855-1905), author & journalist * David Syme (1827-1908), newspaper proprietor *Camillo Triaca (1887-1902), sculptor & restaurateur *Elise Wiedermann (1851-1922), soprano * David Wang (1920-1978), retailer, councillor, Chinese community pioneer * Basil Watson (1894-1917), aviator *

John Wisker John Wisker (30 May 1846 in Kingston upon Hull, England – 18 January 1884 in Richmond, Victoria) was an English chess player and journalist. By 1870, he was one of the world's ten best chess players, and the second-best English-born player, be ...

(1846–1884), British chess champion * John Wren (1851-1953), bookmaker, businessman, political operator *

John Dickson Wyselaskie John Dickson Wyselaskie (25 June 1818 – 4 May 1883) was an Australian benefactor and grazier. Wyselaskie was born in Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire, Scotland and died in St Kilda, Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia) ...

(1818-1883), grazier, benefactor *

Alberto Zelman (Samuel Victor Albert) Alberto Zelman (15 November 18743 March 1927) was an Australian musician and conductor, and founder of one of the predecessors to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Life and career Alberto Zelman was born in Melbourne, Aus ...

(1874-1927), conductor, founder of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

War graves

The cemetery contains the war graves of 45 Commonwealth service personnel, 30 from World War I and 15 from World War II.BOROONDARA GENERAL CEMETERY
CWGC Cemetery Report. Breakdown obtained from casualty records.

Trees

The cemetery has a notable collection of mature trees including rows of

Bhutan Cypress ''Cupressus cashmeriana'', the Bhutan cypress or Kashmir cypress, is a species of evergreen conifer native to the eastern Himalaya in Bhutan and adjacent areas of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. Now in vulnerable category, IUCN list ...

(''Cupressus torulosa'') and

Italian cypress ''Cupressus sempervirens'', the Mediterranean cypress (also known as Italian cypress, Tuscan cypress, Persian cypress, or pencil pine), is a species of cypress native to the eastern Mediterranean region, in northeast Libya, southern Albania, sou ...

(''Cupressus sempervirens'' 'Italica'), as well as specimens of

Bunya Bunya ''Araucaria bidwillii'', commonly known as the bunya pine and sometimes referred to as the false monkey puzzle tree, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the plant family Araucariaceae. It is found naturally in south-east Queensland Austral ...

(''Araucaria bidwillii''), Canary Island Pine (''Pinus canariensis''), Weeping Elms (''Ulmus glabra'' 'Camperdownii'),

Queensland Kauri ''Agathis robusta'' (syn. ''A. palmerstonii''), the Queensland kauri (pine) or smooth-barked kauri, is a coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae. (Although sometimes called a pine, it is not a true pine, and has leaves, not needles.) It ha ...

(''Agathis robusta'') and Weeping Cypress (''Cupressus funebris'').

References

External links

Boroondara General Cemetery (official site)Boroondara General Cemetery
– Billion Graves
Victorian Heritage Register: Boroondara General CemeteryVictorian Heritage Register: Boroondara General Cemetery (rtf)Friends of Boroondara (Kew) General Cemetery Inc.
{{coord, -37.8034, 145.0440, type:landmark_region:AU, display=title Heritage sites in Melbourne Cemeteries in Melbourne Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne 1859 establishments in Australia Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in Australia Buildings and structures in the City of Boroondara