Old Greenbushes Cemetery

Statement of Significance

The Old Greenbushes Cemetery is of high significance for its historic and social/cultural values.
Aesthetic Value
The Old Greenbushes Cemetery has been left to return to native bushland.
Historic Value
The Old Greenbushes Cemetery is of high historic value, due to its significance as a pioneer cemetery, listing numerous family names that populated Greenbushes at the turn of the nineteenth century.
Research Value
-
Social Value
The Old Greenbushes Cemetery was of high social value as a place of cultural gathering to bury and honour family and friends.

Physical Description

This reserve was the originally used as a cemetery or burial ground for Greenbushes and surrounding areas. It has now returned to natural bushland, and a memorial plaque attached to a laterite rock is the only visible structure indicating the location of the Old Greenbushes Cemetery. It sits on the western side of South Western Highway, 3km north of Blackwood Rd, ~75 m before DaRonchs Rd. The plaque lists 45 names of those known to have been buried in the Cemetery.

History

From a 1907 report in the Blackwood Times newspaper, it would seem that a parcel of land was not dedicated as a formal cemetery for Greenbushes area until 1907. The dedicated parcel of 10 Acres is described as being the current cemetery which now adjoins Stinton Avenue, otherwise known as the old Bridgetown (to Greenbushes) Road. That being the case, it is assumed that the original Old Greenbushes Cemetery was not originally a dedicated cemetery parcel, and may have only been a Crown bush reserve.
The memorial plaque at the Old Greenbushes Cemetery records the known burials from 1903 to 1910, however it is possible there were earlier burials. Although there are only 45 names listed, 83 names have been collated from the Blackwood Register of Deaths held by the Clerk of Courts in Manjimup, church archive records and local residents. These names are commemorated on a heritage sign at the current Greenbushes Cemetery and are also available at the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes and the Greenbushes Discovery Centre.
Thirty six of the 45 named on the plaque, (and 47 of the total 83) died under the age of one year, and many of those were ‘still born’. This emphasises the hardships endured by families involved in mining and rural settlement at that time. Diseases such as diphtheria were often prevalent and not surprisingly were part of the toll at Greenbushes:
" Lewis - On July 15, at Greenbushes of diphtheria, Freda Winifred Maisy, the dearly beloved daughter of T.J. and M. Lewis, aged one year and eleven months. Deeply regretted."
The stories of some of these people also reveal that miners following the rushes were often far from home, as evidenced by the death notice for Edward McGlone who died at Greenbushes at the age of 44 years in 1908: "McGlone.- On June 19, at the Government Hospital, Greenbushes Edward, second son of John and the late Catherine McGlone, of Flemington, Victoria. Interred in the Greenbushes Cemetery. Melbourne papers please copy."
The Stinton Avenue (old Bridgetown Road) Cemetery was set aside by the Lands Department for the purpose of Public Cemetery in 1907, however the Greenbushes Road Board considered the 92 Pounds allowed by the Department for forming the Cemetery, would scarcely cover the cost of clearing the land, and therefore there would be no hurry to form the new Cemetery. The first recorded burial at the new cemetery was not until 9 January 1910.

Integrity/Authenticity

The Old Greenbushes Cemetery was allowed to regrow as bushland. Although it no longer looks like a cemetery, the original burials remain in place, with only the Memorial Plaque on the rock beside the highway to indicate the significance of the site. Hence it has high integrity.
The site has moderate authenticity as the bushland has been left to grow over the gravesites, which are no longer discernible.

Condition

Good (plaque)

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.