Melbourne General Cemetery
 Aerial view of Melbourne General Cemetery, looking north | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1852 |
| Location | Carlton North, Victoria |
| Country | Australia |
| Size | 43 hectares (110 acres) |
| Website | Melbourne General Cemetery (Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust) |
| Find a Grave | Melbourne General Cemetery |
Characteristic headstones and grave sites within the cemetery
Cemetery gatehouse
Chapel
The Melbourne General Cemetery is a large (43 hectare) necropolis located 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the city of Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton North.
The cemetery is notably the resting place of four Prime Ministers of Australia, more than any other necropolis within Australia. Former Prime Minister Harold Holt's headstone is a memorial as his remains have never been discovered.
Contents
1 History
2 Notable interments
2.1 Prime Ministers Garden
2.2 State Premiers and Governors
3 War graves
4 References
5 External links
History
The cemetery was established in 1852 and opened on 1 June 1853, and the Old Melbourne Cemetery (on the site of what is now the Queen Victoria Market) was closed the next year.
The grounds feature several heritage buildings, many in bluestone, including a couple of chapels and a number of cast iron pavilions. The gatehouses are particularly notable.
Notable interments
Prime Ministers Garden
Five Prime Ministers of Australia are memorialised at Melbourne General Cemetery. Three are interred in the cemetery's 'Prime Ministers Garden': Sir Robert Menzies (including Dame Pattie Menzies), Sir John Gorton and Malcolm Fraser.[1]Harold Holt's (including his wife Dame Zara Bate) is a memorial as his body was never recovered after he disappeared at sea. Dame Zara is buried at Sorrento Cemetery, the closest burial ground to where Holt disappeared.
James Scullin (including Sarah Scullin) is buried in the Catholic section of the cemetery.
Grave of James and Sarah Scullin
Grave of Sir Robert and Dame Pattie Menzies
Grave of Sir John Gorton
Memorial to Harold Holt and Dame Zara
Grave of Malcolm Fraser
State Premiers and Governors
There are eight Premiers of Victoria buried at Melbourne General Cemetery, more than any other necropolis around the state. Premiers George Elmslie, James Francis, Duncan Gillies, Richard Heales, William Nicholson, Sir John O'Shanassy, Sir James Patterson and James Service. Sir Robert Menzies served as Deputy Premier of Victoria between 1932 to 1934.
The first Premier of Tasmania is interred at Melbourne General Cemetery, William Champ.
There is one Governor of Victoria, Sir Charles Hotham and one Governor-General of Australia, Sir Issac Issacs buried at Melbourne General Cemetery.
War graves
The cemetery contains the war graves of 91 Commonwealth service personnel, more than 30 from World War I and more than 50 from World War II.[2]
References
^ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8535779%7C Retrieved 2010-2-20
^ MELBOURNE GENERAL CEMETERY, CARLTON CWGC Cemetery Report.
External links
The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust: administrators of the Melbourne General Cemetery
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melbourne General Cemetery. |
Coordinates: 37°47′20″S 144°57′55″E / 37.78889°S 144.96528°E / -37.78889; 144.96528
