Woodanilling Cemetery

Statement of Significance

The place is significant as the gazetted burial site in the district.

Physical Description

The cemetery is located 0.5 km north of the Great Southern Highway and 1 km south of
the Robinson Road crossing. An avenue of trees have been planted (pines on the left and
wandoo on the right) as you enter the paddock off the highway.

Either side of the cemetery are a row of pines. In more recent times a memorial niche
wall has been erected at the entrance for those cremated.

History

The first burials in the cemetery were that of GH Ward and Dinwoodie, both on 28 May
1915. Prior to this, burials took place in the neighbouring towns of
Wagin/Katanning/Kojonup or in a smaller number of places in isolated place. (A full list
of burials at this cemetery is contained in the history - Round Pool to Woodanilling
[1986] 1915-1985, an update list since that time is to appear in the second edition of that
book).

The cemetery is notable in that (1) Early in the history of the cemetery, there were several
Aboriginal burials outside the perimeters of the cemetery - it not being considered
appropriate to mix the original Aboriginal inhabitants and the European settlers. (2)
Apart from Henry Harrison Brown (who was denied his wish to be buried on his beloved
Cartmeticup Well property) there has been no settler or a descendant from the east of the
shire to be buried in the Woodanilling Cemetery. Perhaps the bitter division between
East and West caused by the decision to build the new hall has had lasting ramifications.
The newspaper reporter at the time (1922) wrote:
"The divisions caused by the proposal to build the hall were to continue for many years. WG Patterson
was reported to have said when discussing the tenders for building the hall. "It is quite absurd to spend
ratepayers money on a hall in a dead and alive place like Woodanilling. The town is absolutely stagnant
and nobody would spend a ten pound note in the place. The darned place hasn 7 made any progress the
last 20 years, and never will. Look at the local business places. Never had a coat of paint for ages. No one
will spend any money in the darned place, no one will live in it and not one will die in it."
As a parting shot the correspondent concluded, "Bill grabbed his 'cady' and made a bee-line for Ted
Dival's to see if he could get a tin of tobacco to do him till he could get into Katanning."
Bill Patterson summed up many of the thoughts of the eastern residents."

There was one other public designated cemetery site in the shire - at Cartmeticup at the
NE junction of Cartmeticup and Church Roads, but has never been used.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.