Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery |
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Entrance, Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery, 2009
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| Location | cnr South Street and Anzac Avenue, Harristown, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1850s onwards |
| Official name: Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery | |
| Type | state heritage (built, archaeological, landscape) |
| Designated | 14 August 2009 |
| Reference no. | 602718 |
| Significant period | 1850 onwards |
| Significant components | memorial - garden, driveway, ground depression, sarcophagus, gate - entrance, memorial/monument, burial/grave, grave surrounds/railings, pathway/walkway, vista/s, headstone, trees/plantings, garden/grounds, shed - shelter, denominational divisions, objects (movable) - burial ground (funerary), trees of social, historic or special significance, tree groups - avenue of, mausoleum/tomb/funeral vault/ossario |
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The Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery is a very old and important cemetery in Harristown, Queensland, Australia. It is located at the corner of South Street and Anzac Avenue. This cemetery was first planned in May 1850. It is one of the oldest cemeteries still existing in Queensland.
It is a very large cemetery with more than 45,000 burials. Since 1974, the Toowoomba Regional Council has managed the cemetery. Before that, it was looked after by government-appointed trustees. Many famous people from the Darling Downs area are buried here. All parts of the cemetery are still used today.
The cemetery was first divided into different sections for various religious groups. These included Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Wesleyans, Congregationalists, Jews, and Pagans. Later, sections for ex-military personnel, people who couldn't afford burials (paupers), stillborn babies, and Muslims were added. The cemetery has grown several times since the 1870s. Three old shelter sheds built around 1930 are still there and are part of its heritage listing.
In the 1960s, the cemetery was not well looked after. Many graves became overgrown or damaged. In 1974, the Toowoomba City Council took over. They worked to restore and improve the site. The cemetery was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 August 2009. This means it is a special historical place.
Contents
History of the Cemetery
The Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery was the first official burial ground for the Drayton and Toowoomba area. It was planned in May 1850. This makes it one of Queensland's earliest public cemeteries. It shows how the area grew from the first non-Indigenous settlements. It also shows how Toowoomba became an important regional city.
Early cemeteries are important because they record the history of settlement. Before 1856, there were no official records of deaths in New South Wales (which Queensland was part of). Cemeteries often provided the only public record. For example, the oldest headstone here is for Michael Gorry. He was a young storekeeper who died in 1852.
Drayton and Toowoomba's Beginnings
Drayton started in 1843 when Thomas Alford opened a store and inn. It was a stop for travelers and farmers in the Darling Downs. Many people thought Drayton would become the main town. In 1849, a government surveyor named James Charles Burnett designed the town. He also chose a spot a few miles away for larger land blocks. This area was known as The Swamp, and later became Toowoomba.
In 1850, Burnett added the cemetery north of Drayton. It was placed between Drayton and The Swamp. Before this, people were buried near their homes. The cemetery was originally 8 acres. It was divided into sections for different religions. Each group was supposed to look after its own section. However, the cemetery became neglected, and animals roamed freely.
Toowoomba Grows and the Cemetery Expands
By 1851, Drayton had about 200 people. But people started to prefer The Swamp (Toowoomba) because it had more water. By 1852, William Horton began selling land there. Thomas Alford also opened a store called the Toowoomba General Store. When Queensland became a separate colony in 1859, Toowoomba was the main town. It became a municipality in 1860. By 1861, Toowoomba had 1183 people, while Drayton had 320.
As Toowoomba grew, the cemetery was used more often. In 1866, seven trustees were chosen to manage the entire cemetery. They represented the main religious groups. Two of these trustees, William Henry Groom and Samuel George Stephens, stayed on the board for almost 40 years. They are both buried in the cemetery. New rules for the cemetery were approved in 1867. The first sexton (cemetery caretaker) was also appointed.
Between 1870 and 1873, the cemetery grew to almost its current size. It became nearly 67 acres. Improvements were made, like clearing land, building paths, and planting trees. A central entrance road was built from Drayton Road (now Anzac Avenue). More land was added in 1882 and 1906.
Sextons and Cemetery Care
Several sexton's cottages were built over the years, but none remain today. The Devine family served as sextons for 86 years. John Devine started in 1875. His son William John took over in 1898, and William's son James Robert continued until 1961. William and James planted most of the trees you see in the cemetery today. Around 1930, William planted 14 Norfolk Island pine trees along the main drive. Each tree represented one member of his family.
In the 1950s, it was thought the cemetery would soon be full. In 1957, over 31 acres were added to the west. However, not much of this land has been used for burials. This is because cremations became more popular later on. A crematorium opened in Toowoomba in 1966. A special place for ashes (columbarium) was built in the cemetery in the early 1990s.
Around the mid-1950s, a section for ex-military service personnel was created. This area was originally set aside for "Jews" and "Pagans" in 1850. An annual service is still held here before Anzac Day.
Many local stonemasons have created the headstones and monuments in the cemetery. These include Walter Bruce, Henry Bailey, John H. Wagner, and Rudolph C. Ziegler. Their businesses have been making monuments since the 1800s and early 1900s.
In the 1960s, the cemetery was neglected. Graves became overgrown, and some headstones were damaged. In 1974, the Toowoomba City Council took over. They cleared the overgrowth and made the cemetery a beautiful place again. By 2008, there were over 45,000 burials. All parts of the cemetery are still in use.
Many important people from Queensland's history are buried here. These include early farmers, politicians like William Henry Groom (Toowoomba's first mayor), and explorers. The cemetery also holds the remains of early workers, Aboriginal people, and Chinese immigrants. The names on the headstones show the many different backgrounds of people who settled in the area.
Exploring the Cemetery
The Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery covers more than 30 hectares. It is located between Drayton and Toowoomba. The main part of the cemetery is enclosed by fences. The newer sections added in 1957 and 1987 are not part of the heritage listing.
How to Enter and See the Views
The main way to enter is from South Street. There are ornamental gates here. The cemetery looks green and park-like. It stands out from the industrial buildings around it. From inside, you can see distant hills. This creates a peaceful background for the memorials.
The main gates on South Street are made of brick with decorative metal gates. There are large gates for cars and smaller ones for people walking. Another entrance is on Anzac Avenue. It has a large double gate. The fences around the cemetery are mostly modern wire fences.
How the Cemetery is Laid Out
The cemetery's layout shows how ideas about burials have changed over time. The oldest part (from 1850) has a formal grid pattern. Newer areas, from the 1960s, are more like informal lawn or memorial gardens. This mix of styles makes visiting the cemetery a varied experience.
Most of the cemetery is set out in a grid. Burial sections are separated by walkways and driveways. Some of these are lined with mature trees. The main roads running east-west are called 1st Avenue to 6th Avenue. Each section has signs showing the religious groups. These include Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, and others. There are also sections for the Public, Infants, War Cemetery, Jewish, and Muslim burials.
There are also lawn cemeteries at the northern end. These have both religious and non-religious sections. The eastern lawn cemetery has Memorial Gardens. The western lawn cemetery includes a Forest Lawn.
The cemetery office and public toilets are new buildings. They are not part of the heritage listing. A park-like area with no burials is on the eastern side. It has many different types of trees.
Trees and Plants
The trees and plants are a very important part of the cemetery's design. They help create a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The main entrance drive from South Street is lined with mature trees. These include Camphor Laurels and London Plane trees. Other parts of the cemetery also have rows of trees. These include Cypress, Italian Cypress, and Cedar of Lebanon.
The War Cemetery is surrounded by rows of Cypress and large Pines. Other unique trees include a very large Eucalypt and a Cook Island Pine. The park-like section along Anzac Avenue has Hoop Pines, Monterey Pines, Jacaranda, and more. The lawn cemeteries also have many trees, including gum trees and Italian Cypresses.
Graves, Monuments, and Memorials
The cemetery has many different styles of monuments and memorials. They show the popular styles from different time periods. Many are excellent examples of the skill of stonemasons. Most are made from sandstone or marble. Some have been worn down by weather or stained over time. There are also many granite monuments that last longer.
Many graves have concrete borders or slabs. Sometimes they are decorated with tiles or paint. Other graves use bricks, stones, or gravel. Larger family plots often have low fences made of cast or wrought iron. Some have trees planted inside them.
More elaborate monuments are found in the older sections. These include vaults, mausoleums, and tall obelisks. The Coorey family vault (1937) is made of sandstone in a classical style. It has four marble statues. The McColdrick family mausoleum (early 1930s) has a large, carved marble angel statue. It is surrounded by stained glass windows.
Many old symbols are seen on the memorials. These include crosses, draped urns, broken columns, and angels. Flowers like roses and ivy are also common. Each symbol has a special meaning. Some decorations show what the person did for a living or their hobbies. These can include tools, tennis racquets, or cameras. Some graves have symbolic plants like olive trees or cypresses.
Headstones also show different languages like Chinese, Hebrew, and German. This shows that many different groups of immigrants lived in the area. Some inscriptions tell interesting stories about the person's life or how they died.
Monuments from the mid to late 20th century are usually simpler. They are often upright slabs with concrete surrounds. The War Cemetery has simple, uniform marble headstones. The lawn cemeteries have small plaques set into the ground. The Memorial Gardens are for scattering or storing ashes. There is a brick columbarium surrounded by rose bushes.
Cemetery Buildings
There are three shelter sheds in the cemetery. They were built around 1930. They are simple square timber buildings. Each has a tiled roof and lattice sides. They have a dirt floor and two timber benches inside. One is in the northern part of the cemetery. Another is in the center, near the War Cemetery. The third is in the southern part.
Heritage Listing
The Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 2009. This means it is recognized as a special historical place.
It shows how Queensland's history developed. The cemetery started in 1850. It is one of the oldest public cemeteries in Queensland. It shows how the Darling Downs area was first settled. It also shows how Toowoomba grew into an important regional center. The cemetery provides important information about the social and cultural history of Toowoomba. Many important people from the region and Queensland are buried here.
It has rare or uncommon cultural heritage. The cemetery has a large collection of memorials and monuments from the 1850s to today. This makes it a unique historical record. It is an important part of Queensland's cultural heritage.
It shows the main features of a public cemetery. The Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery shows what a large 19th-century public cemetery looks like. It has grown over time to reflect changing ideas about burials. It still has its original grid pattern, walkways, and drives. It also has monuments from the 1850s and many old trees. The different styles of memorials, including lawn cemeteries, show how ideas about death have changed since the 1850s.
It has great aesthetic value. The cemetery is beautiful because of its many memorials. The older headstones have a lovely aged look. The formal layout of the older sections is impressive. The tall trees and other plants create beautiful avenues and peaceful spaces. The memorial gardens and lawn cemeteries are also very pretty. The shelter sheds and ornamental trees add to its charm. The distant hills create a picturesque background. All these elements create a calm atmosphere for remembering the dead.
It shows high creative or technical skill. Many monuments show great creative skill and craftsmanship. The Coorey family vault and the McColdrick family mausoleum are excellent examples of funerary art. The twin-column memorials, often made by Walter Bruce, are also very distinctive.
It is important to the community. As Toowoomba's oldest and most important public cemetery, it has been a key place for public rituals and feelings since the 1850s.
Notable Burials
- William Joseph Brennan, a Roman Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba
- Leslie Arnold Wood, a Labor leader in Queensland from 1957–1958
- John Edmund "Jack" Duggan, Deputy Premier of Queensland from 1953-1957, and a Labor leader from 1958-1966
Images for kids
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Sexton's residence (Devine family), around 1886
