Bendigo Cemetery

Bendigo Victoria

The Bendigo Cemeteries Trust was formed in June 1988 and amalgamates the former council operated Bendigo, Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat, White Hills and Axedale Cemeteries Trusts. Bendigo's Cemeteries are consdiered open museums and tell the story of the regions development. The Trust is mindful of the great responsibility entrusted to it in preserving this history.

The first registered burial was that of Ellen Mowbray Murphy on February 1st 1858 age 3½ years. This cemetery has also been known as the Back Creek and Sandhurst Cemeteries (not to be confused with the Sandhurst Burial ground in Bridge Street).

The Gothic designed Mortuary Chapel and the former Sextons residence are two important architectural features at this cemetery. An unusual feature is the monument erected in memory of the explorers, Burke and Wills.

The Bendigo Public Cemetery dates from the 1850’s and from that time it was a site destined to display features of historic cultural and social interest. Four such features are:

The Mortuary Chapel at Bendigo Cemetery was constructed about 1872 this very picturesque building is the major feature greeting those who enter from the main gates in Carpenter Street. Constructed of granite quarried at Harcourt is it flanked by two Southern Magnolias. A timber steeple crowns the building and the portico features a doorway with concentric arches and collarettes, and a cloverleaf finial. The building has a number of fine stained glass windows which have been recently reinstated. Plans are now afoot to restore the building.

The Burke and Wills Monument within the Bendigo Cemetery can be seen off to the right of the Chapel was erected by the people of Bendigo. The fate of the team it honours is well known. It appears to have had a paint finish but is clearly a sandstone column. The foundation was laid in 1862 and more than 5000 people were in attendance. History indicates that objects of the time were buried at the site.

There are two nineteenth century rotundas in the cemetery both of which are octagonal in shape, have a corrugated iron pergola shaped roofs and are enhanced with a metal finials. They display timber posts with cast iron capitals and cast brackets. The tessellated tiled floor is quite unique and the timber and cast panelling a display of fine craftsmanship.

The Chinese Burning Tower is approximately four metres in height. It is a hexagonal tuck-pointed brick structure. The roof is peaked and of galvanised sheet metal. The structure was and is used for the burning of offering by the Chinese during specific ceremonies. The major burial ground for the Chinese exists at the White Hills Cemetery, however there are some 250 Chinese buried near to the burning tower. The site has a number of footstones, the first Chinese burial occurring in 1859.