about coburg Cemetery
Coburg Cemetery began servicing the community around 1856. In 1971 the cemetery reached capacity when all existing grave spaces had been sold. For the next fifty years, burials at the Cemetery were restricted to additional interments in existing graves. Some graves have now been found to be empty and are up for sale again. It is currently administered as one of the cemeteries under the control of the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.
History
Coburg Cemetery was officially established in 1859 when at a public meeting Trustees were elected for the 'General Cemetery Pentridge'. The following year the 14.5 acre site was gazetted and divided into six compartments to reflect the denominational composition of the community plus a compartment for 'strangers'. Some graves have dates from the 1850s but the first officially recorded burial was in 1875 when Margaret Sullivan, a nineteen-year-old, died of consumption.
During 1918 and 1919 influenza had a dramatic impact on the health of the community. Schools closed and the cemetery was opened on Sundays to cope with the demand. Between the wars, significant upgrades were made including bricklaying of pathways, water service extensions, sewerage works, new picket boundary fences and front entrance gates.
During the 1960s the unused cemetery lodge was replaced with a new lawn section close to the front gates. In 2010 the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust was formed and assumed management of Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery.
Self-Guided Heritage Walk
The Friends of Coburg Cemetery have developed a self-guided heritage walk of the cemetery. Brochures for this walk are available at the rotunda or you can download it from the bottom of this page.
Coburg Cemetery is located at the corner of Elizabeth and Bell Streets, Preston, Victoria, Australia.
Enquiries relating to Coburg Cemetery are handled by Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust at Fawkner Memorial Park, 1187 Sydney Road, Fawkner 3060.
Contact GMCT on 1300 022 298
Maps of coburg cemetery - old & new
