Back in 2021, the Birchip Cemetery Trust received $22,000 from the Department of Health’s Cemetery Sector Governance Support Program to upgrade the original lawn cemetery and a further $18,000 from the “Cargill Cares Cropping for the Birchip Community” program.

The funding received from the department wasn’t enough to cover the whole project the trust members had planned for Lawn 1, but fortunately the additional funds from the “Cargill Cares Cropping for the Birchip Community” program ensured that concrete plinths could be installed in all six rows of the initial lawn cemetery to rehouse the plaques that used to sit on individual concrete blocks or directly on the lawn.

Safety hazard

Lawn cemetery 1 had become an occupational and safety hazard for cemetery visitors over the years as the headstones had been sinking and the lawns were very uneven, making it a trip hazard. The maintenance costs had also become excessive, as all of the headstones had to be individually whipper snippered around, rather than mowed in rows with the ride on mower.  

After several false starts, the Birchip cemetery trust was finally able to secure Leigh Nunn Building to set up and lay solid rows of concrete similar to what is in the new lawn sections. Prior to Leigh being able to undertake the laying of the cement, though, much work had to happen to remove the plaques from the existing concrete and subsequently remove the old concrete blocks from the area.

Once the new rows were cured, the plaques had to be re-laid in their rightful place and to ensure this process happened in an orderly and respectful manner cemetery trust members, caretaker
Darren Taylor and several community volunteers, worked in tandem with Leigh Nunn and his team to complete a couple of rows at a time.

Working bee

Over the past month several working bees have taken place, and lots of behind the scenes work has also been taking place by trust members, Grant Cartwright, Jackie Rymer, Angela Liston, John Richmond, John Ferrier, Dorothy Reid, Peter Noonan and Rosie Rickard.

On Sunday, working bee participants were treated to a morning tea of scones and jam and cream catered for by Dorothy Reid and Jackie Cartwright, which was a welcome surprise.

Anyone who is a regular visitor to the Birchip Cemetery will notice the difference and appreciate the improvements as the project is progressing. There is still work to do to complete the final two rows and then there will be sprinkler system upgrade required and top dressing of the lawn.

Families are also advised they can renew or recondition their plaques and headstone in the Birchip cemetery at any time by contacting Simone Christie at the Birchip Neighbourhood House.

The Birchip Cemetery trust has approved the installation of a variety of plaques including graphite plaques, of a uniform size.  It is a legal requirement to obtain permission to make changes to headstones and plaques in a cemetery or crematorium, and for the Birchip cemetery permission can be obtained from the administrator of the Birchip Cemetery Trust, Simone Christie, at the Birchip Neighbourhood House.

The Birchip Cemetery Trust Lawn 1 upgrade has been a great example of what can be achieved when communities work together and get support from large corporations like Cargill and the “Cropping for Communities project”. “Cargill Cares Cropping for the Birchip Community” has supported a number of projects in the local area in recent years, and their commitment to improving the communities where they live and work is tremendous.

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 13 October 2023.