WHAT is going on in the Redlands cemeteries? Why are
people walking around with clipboards and cameras? Moreover, where in the
world is Redlands, Queensland. (Ed: Here!
)
Well, according to a story in the Redlands Yourguide Newspaper, they are part of a team of
volunteers who are helping prepare condition reports about the gravesites
and doing some research to add to the knowledge about the local cemeteries
and the people buried in them.
There are seven cemeteries in the
Redlands, but only tree are in use - Dunwich Cemetery, Cleveland Cemetery in Wellington
St and Redland Bay Cemetery.
Acting
Mayor Alan Beard said the Council recognises the importance of cemeteries
in establishing local historical records.
"The Council has adopted
a Conservation Management Plan which identified the cultural heritage
significance of the Shire's cemeteries and developed guidelines and
recommendations to ensure the heritage values of the cemeteries are
retained," he explained.
"A number of gravesites, particularly at
Dunwich and Serpentine
Creek, are deteriorating and we should do everything we can to make
sure they are preserved and protected."
Heritage consultant David
Young OAM and two teams of volunteers have begun work preparing condition
reports on the gravesites due to be completed by mid-2005.
The
volunteers will do some of the work identified in the report, such as
weeding.
More significant repairs involving stonework and
foundations will be done by qualified people.
Council has made
assurances that no work will be done without consulting family descendants
where possible.
Volunteers are also researching those who are
buried in the cemeteries to add to local history records.
One of
the mysteries they have found in the Cleveland Cemetery is that there
are about four older graves in the old Protestant section that are on an
angle.
Where all the others face the same way these four
don't.
Dunwich is the last resting place of up to 10,000 people,
including many inmates from the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum.
Most of
the graves aren't marked and many people researching their family
histories are keen to find the exact location of their forebears'
grave.