Queenstown cemetery - Smiths Gully Victoria
Cemetery of the Caledonian Gold Rush
‘Market Square’
Old Caledonian Gully, Smyths Gully*
The Wurundjeri Willam people of the Kulin Nation camped here over 30,000 years. Their many descendants continue to live across Victoria. The Queenstown Cemetery became the Cemetery for the Caledonia Diggings after gold was discovered in Smyth’s Creek in 1854. The rush to these Diggings resulted in a tent city named “Market Square” and the establishment of Queenstown (now St Andrews). Over 380 burials are recorded. Among the earliest of these are Chinese, probably miners. Many Chinese and other itinerants were buried in unmarked and unrecorded graves. After the rush of the 1850’s, the remaining families, mainly German and English, retained the Cemetery. Descendants of these early pioneers still live in the district with familiar names recorded on many headstones. In 1962, a bushfire burned through the Cemetery, destroying picket fencing, grave markers and the cypress boundary planting of the early 1900’s. The box/stringy bark woodland and forest in the 1.7 ha reserve is regrowth from this time. The indigenous and heritage vegetation of the Cemetery is protected, and includes many significant species. *Known today as Smiths Creek and Smiths Gully
1861 The first recorded burial. There is no original plan or map of the Cemetery. Trustees of the Cemetery were members of the local community
1866 The Cemetery officially declared a Cemetery Reserve.
1948 The Trusteeship of the Cemetery taken on by the Shire of Eltham
1951 The Cemetery closed for burials
1960 Burials in existing family plots
1964
1981 Last burial in existing family plot
1999 Cemetery trusteeship reverted to the Community under Nillumbik Shire Council. Appointment of six local Residents as Trustees, gazetted by Department of Human Services
Launch of Friends and Relations of Queenstown Cemetery
2000 The Cemetery Reserve registered “Land for Wildlife”
2006 Increase of Trust members to seven
2008 A Public Authority Management Agreement with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for the management and protection of the vegetation in the cemetery reserve
2010 A memorial Cairn in honour of the miners and pioneers of the district, and a plaque of the Queenstown Cemetery Register 1861-1981 completed
‘Market Square’
Old Caledonian Gully, Smyths Gully*
The Wurundjeri Willam people of the Kulin Nation camped here over 30,000 years. Their many descendants continue to live across Victoria. The Queenstown Cemetery became the Cemetery for the Caledonia Diggings after gold was discovered in Smyth’s Creek in 1854. The rush to these Diggings resulted in a tent city named “Market Square” and the establishment of Queenstown (now St Andrews). Over 380 burials are recorded. Among the earliest of these are Chinese, probably miners. Many Chinese and other itinerants were buried in unmarked and unrecorded graves. After the rush of the 1850’s, the remaining families, mainly German and English, retained the Cemetery. Descendants of these early pioneers still live in the district with familiar names recorded on many headstones. In 1962, a bushfire burned through the Cemetery, destroying picket fencing, grave markers and the cypress boundary planting of the early 1900’s. The box/stringy bark woodland and forest in the 1.7 ha reserve is regrowth from this time. The indigenous and heritage vegetation of the Cemetery is protected, and includes many significant species. *Known today as Smiths Creek and Smiths Gully
1861 The first recorded burial. There is no original plan or map of the Cemetery. Trustees of the Cemetery were members of the local community
1866 The Cemetery officially declared a Cemetery Reserve.
1948 The Trusteeship of the Cemetery taken on by the Shire of Eltham
1951 The Cemetery closed for burials
1960 Burials in existing family plots
1964
1981 Last burial in existing family plot
1999 Cemetery trusteeship reverted to the Community under Nillumbik Shire Council. Appointment of six local Residents as Trustees, gazetted by Department of Human Services
Launch of Friends and Relations of Queenstown Cemetery
2000 The Cemetery Reserve registered “Land for Wildlife”
2006 Increase of Trust members to seven
2008 A Public Authority Management Agreement with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for the management and protection of the vegetation in the cemetery reserve
2010 A memorial Cairn in honour of the miners and pioneers of the district, and a plaque of the Queenstown Cemetery Register 1861-1981 completed
Click on the plot map link button below to access cemetery map and deceased records. Powered by Chronicle.
Native Flowers in the Queenstown Cemetery
Anonymous Sojourners in the Australian Bush
In 2017 Artist, Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert collaborated with St Andrews Men's Shed, St Andrews/Queenstown Historical Society and Wadambuk Arts Group to develop her project Anonymous Sojourners in the Australian Bush. The project was an installation work at the Wadambuk Community Centre, drawing attention to and revealing an uncommon local history of anonymous Chinese miners who were buried in St Andrews in the 1850s. A series of white lantern-like boat structures were exhibited in recognition of their stories and to symbolize the social conditions of the burgeoning colony.
Little is known about the Chinese community in the area. We know many Chinese were miners in the district and in later years set up market gardens and became storekeepers. Over 20 Chinese are buried in the Queeenstown Cemetery, possibly in the paupers ground.
The miners had come as sojourners from China. Sojourners typically live temporarily in a country to raise money and hope to return home once they have earned enough money to build a better life for themselves. Unfortunately, these miners did not survive the harsh conditions of the mining sites and did not return home as planned.
Little is known about the Chinese community in the area. We know many Chinese were miners in the district and in later years set up market gardens and became storekeepers. Over 20 Chinese are buried in the Queeenstown Cemetery, possibly in the paupers ground.
The miners had come as sojourners from China. Sojourners typically live temporarily in a country to raise money and hope to return home once they have earned enough money to build a better life for themselves. Unfortunately, these miners did not survive the harsh conditions of the mining sites and did not return home as planned.
