In Western Australia’s Karrakatta cemetery as well as Payneham Cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia and other cemeteries across Australia, headstones are being removed and grave sites re-used. I’ve written about the destruction of headstones at Payneham cemetery previously; https://blog.kyliesgenes.com/2012/04/removal-of-headstones-payneham-cemetery-south-australia/
What Can Be Done About It?
Sandra Playle has started a petition asking the Western Australian government to bring an end to the clearing of headstones in Western Australian cemeteries. I’ve signed it and I hope that many more people will too. Sign the petition!
Cleared headstones and monuments at Karrakatta cemetery
Thanks to Chris from That Moment In Time for this poem.
GRANDMA’S FOUNDATION
I went to visit Grandma
Her stone it wasn’t there
I thought I made an error
But I did look everywhere
It was then I noticed rubble
Right against the fence
And a dumpster full of rubbish
It really was quite dense.
Then I saw my Grandma’s name
As if she was calling me
“Please help me darling granddaughter
Will you please help me be free
For crushing is the next step
Road base they say they need
I suspect that that is just a cover up
It all comes down to greed.
The land here’s rather valuable
I heard the workmen say
My lovely stone you saved for
Will be destroyed today.”
(c) Crissouli
Cleared headstones at Payneham Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
I have been trying to photogragh as many as I can before they’re moved
http://www.findagrave.com
That’s great!! Which cemetery are you photographing?
SHOCKING!!! Whilst supporting the petition for Saving Graves in Western Australia, I had NO idea that this is going on in my own back yard 🙁 … Where is the outrcry?
Thank you for helping to bring this matter to the attention of others, Kylie… it is something which brings the feelings of absolute disgust and horror to most. Surely we owe our ancestors, those who built this country, more respect than this… if not, what have we become?
That’s right Chris. I hate seeing graves disintegrating because of the weather let alone being purposely destroyed!!
Thanks for sharing this. I read last week about the situation in South Australia and then Western Australia directed to it by both Chris and Catherine. Shocking and like Catherine I wonder where the outcry is?
I hope not too many more cemeteries are doing this Julie, these are our sacred places but they’re not being protected.