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Alice Springs General Cemetery
Permanent Declaration
Place
The cemetery is divided into nine sections, each separated by north-south and east-west thoroughfares of compacted gravel and earth. Sections were initially based on religious denominations although there are exceptions. Generally, each section is divided into 12 rows designated A to L and each row is further subdivided into plots.
The Alice Springs General Cemetery is of significance to the Territory and is valued by the community principally as the last resting place of many individuals and families who played an important pioneering role in the development of the Territory's pastoral, mining and transport industries, arts and culture, and the areas of education, law and order. Individuals interred in the Cemetery include noted Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira and Territory architect, Beni Carr Glynn Burnett.

Although not officially proclaimed as a Cemetery until 1949, burials occurred between 1933 up until 1995 when the cemetery was closed with exceptions. The relatively open, simple, yet formal Cemetery layout is a reminder that even after the arrival of the railway in 1929 life in the Centre continued to be characterised by harsh and basic conditions.
15/06/2001
15/06/2001
16/06/2006
Comment sought
S24 Notice 21 & 22 Sept 2007.
10/09/2008
11/04/2009
24/09/2008
HAC2006/0015
Historic & Indigenous
The Alice Springs General Cemetery is of significance to the Territory and should be conserved. Whilst maintenance is the most basic conservation measure which will ensure the site's conservation, a Conservation and Management Plan should be developed for the Cemetery to guide future decisions regarding works associated with landscaping, interpretation and works to the grave markers. It should also clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of various organisations with respect to its management and day-to-day maintenance. In the interim the following general principles (based on Department Planning/Heritage Council of NSW 1992) should be adopted:

A cautious approach should prevail particularly in those areas where there may be unmarked burials. Works which may have substantial sub-surface impacts should be preceeded by a survey of the area by a ground penetrating radar in order to avoid any inadvertent disturbance of graves.

The original cemetery layout and other design elements should be respected wherever possible. Alteration of the existing cemetery layout may result in the loss of the integrity of the site. Where the design or layout is no longer readily apparent it may be re-emphasised by the introduction of appropriate new elements or plantings.

Mature plantings are often the dominant component in cemeteries, such as the tall, dark, evergreen trees marking avenues, paths or boundaries. Other important planting elements are the smaller shrubs. More of the same or similar species may be planted to reinforce the existing design or intention where trees have been lost.

Movement or relocation of grave markers is not appropriate as the significance of individual markers is diminished when they are removed from their original context (i.e. they no longer serve as grave markers and are at best, memorials, a lessening of their original function).

The existing alignment, orientation and groupings of all grave markers in the cemetery should be respected. Markers should not be relocated into rows to simplify moving or other maintenance procedures; nor should they be set into concrete strips or walls.

Where headstones or other markers are tilting or leaning this should not be corrected unless the stone/marker is in danger of falling owing to its own weight.

Interpretation should be simple and low-key, in keeping with the overall nature of the cemetery.
Alice Springs Municipality
Considered as an Out of Session Paper in June 2006.
Photo
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewAlbert Namatjira's grave - AS General Cemetery.jpgAlbert Namatjira's grave at Alice Springs General Cemetery21/SEP/07
ViewAlice Springs General Cemetery.jpgAlice Springs General Cemetery21/SEP/07
ViewGeneral_Cemetery1.JPGAlice Springs General Cemetery26/MAY/14
ViewGeneral_Cemetery2.JPGAlice Springs General Cemetery26/MAY/14
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Scan
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewInstrument.pdf - 12/FEB/09
1 - 1
Further Information
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewAlice Springs General Cemetery.pdfBackground Historical Information06/APR/11
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Approximate Location
   
LAIS KeyStreet NumberStreet NameSuburbLocation CodeLot NumberLTO PlanPartTenure
010 01027 22MEMORIALARALUEN0101027 - - Reserve
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Status Explanations
   

Nomination Period - a nomination has been accepted by Heritage Branch, but has not yet been accepted by the Heritage Council; OR a nomination has been accepted by the Heritage Council but the place/object has not yet been subject to a heritage assessment.

Assessment Period - a nomination has been accepted by the Heritage Council and the place/object is in the process of being assessed.

Consultation Period - Heritage assessment has been completed and s24 of the Act has been instigated, ie comment has been sought on a proposal to declare the place/object.

Recommendation Period - the Heritage Council has made a recommendation to declare the place/object and the Minister's final decision is awaited.

Not Recommended - a decision has been made by the Heritage Council not to recommend to the Minister that a place/object be declared

Declared - the Minister has made a decision to declare the place/object

Refused - the Minister has refused to declare the place/object