If you want a glimpse of local history from an unusual perspective, Brisbane City Council is arranging a free tour and open house of the Mount Gravatt Cemetery and Crematorium on Saturday, the 12th of Oct 2019.
Tag your friends or family along and join the bus tour to the cemetery and the walking tour to the crematorium from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the said date. The event will cover the interesting history and development of this over 100-year-old Brisbane burial grounds. You will gain access to some private areas during the Open House, such as:
The cremator from the viewing area
The original burial register display
The plaque displays
You’ll also be treated to a family history research demonstration and view an actual burial set-up.
Mount Gravatt Cemetery and Crematorium is one of the few denominational cemeteries in Brisbane. Respecting various religious, ethnic and cultural beliefs, visitors will get to discover some unique headstones and monument sites on this tour.
Whilst this is for free, courtesy of the Council, you’ll need to book a spot for the special access.
Since 2010, Brisbane City Council has mounted guided tours and open houses to celebrate and showcase significant sites reflecting the best of the city’s architecture, engineering and history. For more info about the walking tours and open house, follow this link.
The Brisbane City Council is currently conducting a six-month review of the burial practices being done at Mount Gravatt Cemetery. The review was prompted by the number of complaints expressed by different families against the spiking of the graves of their deceased loved ones.
Mt Gravatt Cemetery is a 100-year-old burial ground located at the South of Brisbane. Each year, an estimate number of 760 burials and 620 cremations are being held at this cemetery. It is also known for being the only cemetery run by the Brisbane City Council that offers distinct cultural burial areas.
Community Complaints
Over the last three years, complaints about the Mt Gravatt cemetery had risen tremendously. Concerned community members not only call for a higher standard of burial practices and arrangements but the overall proper maintenance of the cemetery as well. They believe that cemetery workers must be properly trained or re-trained in order for them to be efficient and well-equipped in managing all the graves placed at the cemetery.
Just last November 2018, when the flooding of graves has taken its toll to a number of families, the Council finally agreed on conducting a review for the Mt Gravatt Cemetery. The six-month review will run until June 2019.
Photo credit: Brisbane Open House/ Facebook
Spiking is a process of consolidation of a burial land by placing a hose with running water unto it shortly after the burial ceremony. According to the Council, this process of spiking has always been part of the burial process since it stabilizes the graves and prevents the land’s subsidence. But with the ongoing review of the Council, the burial process of spiking has been currently put to stop. This news brought up positive reactions to the families who were previously displeased and even traumatized with the ill-treatment of their loved one’s graves.
Members of the community are now hoping for the Council to conduct series of consultation sessions as part of their review for the Mt Gravatt Cemetery. They are also looking forward for all their complaints to be resolved soon.
