History of the Warrnambool Cemetery
Land for Warrnambool Cemetery was gazetted in June 1854, at which time trustees were appointed for the cemetery’s management.
Each of the original trustees represented one of the major Christian denominations. They were charged with the responsibility of laying out the cemetery, enclosing the land with a fence, erecting a suitable gate and setting out the rules and regulations for burials, the scale of fees, and maintaining a burial register.
The first burials recorded were as early as the 1850’s.
The Minister of Health and the Department of Public Health became responsible in 1889 for the management of the cemetery and responsibility has remained within the Health portfolio since. In the 1880’s the north-east corner of the west parcel was purchased for the Warrnambool to Terang railway line, reducing the land from the original 20 acres to approximately 17 acres.
The Warrnambool Cemetery continues to be of historical, aesthetic and social significance to Warrnambool district. It contains a number of important grave sites, markers, headstones and memorials.
Source: Warrnambool Historical Society
The Warrnambool Cemetery currently has a number of options for you to create a memorial to your loved ones.
Monumental section
The initial ‘monumental’ area of the Warrnambool Cemetery was sectioned into the various Christian denominations. When that section was filled, additional sections for that particular denomination was created.
There is an infant section along the main driveway of the monumental section, titled “Denny Drive”.
Lawn area
Burials into the lawn section of the Warrnambool Cemetery commenced in the 1980s with no denominational sections. This section presents a peaceful setting amongst beautifully manicured lawns. All vacant plots in this section have been pre-purchased.
Infants
The lawn section also includes a sensitive, peaceful area specifically for infants. This lies adjacent to the rose garden.
Niche wall
The niche wall was erected in the 1960s for the interment of cremated remains. This section is favourable to those who want to inter some remains but scatter others in a place of personal significance.
Rose Garden
Other cremated remains are interred in the rose garden or grave sites. The rose garden is situated along the Otway Road section and provides a beautiful, serene area for memorialisation, with or without cremated remains.
Warrnambool Cemetery record search on Chronicle. Search by name or grave location. By clicking the following link, you will be taken to another website, chronicle.rip