Jarrahdale Cemetery

Statement of Significance

Important in the social heritage of Jarrahdale, being the final resting place of members of families who contributed to the development of the town and the region. Significant for its association with the opening of the timber industry in Jarrahdale which was the basis for the development of the Jarrahdale townsite Part of the group of historic buildings in the historic Jarrahdale townsite.

Physical Description

Opposite a peaceful jarrah forest first explored in the 1830's (sign in the bush). Wrought iron gates attached to red brick pillars form the entrance.

History

Established as a local cemetery in 1872, gazetted on the 24th October 1883, and donated by Mrs Maria Batt, the widow of Joseph Batt who had owned a flour mill in the area. Jarrahdale Cemetery continues to be a public burial ground. Those buried in the cemetery include a number of representatives of the Crock, Nettleton, Lyster, Lewis, Keirnan, Parolo, Gianatti and Buckland families. The timber company was the original undertaker. No record of burials was kept by the timber company until a government audit in 1911 recognised this. The management of the cemetery then became the responsibility of the local Roads Board and it was during this time that records were lost to a white ant invasion. Various sources of information reconstructed these records as best they could. The Jarrahdale Cemetery is the last resting place for approximately four hundred and fifty-five people that socially contributed to the locality of Jarrahdale, but not all graves are marked or occupants known. There is a memorial to Keirnans (near the wooden headstones) and Nettletons. In 1954, the gates to the cemetery were erected as a memorial to Mary Isabel Watkins and George Glyn Watkins

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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