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Alice Springs General Cemetery
22 Memorial Ave, Araluen
General
Significance
Description
History
Gallery
Resources
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Status
Permanent Declaration
Type
Place
Nominated
15/JUN/01
Nomination Accepted
15/JUN/01
Assessment Report Considered
16/JUN/06
Signed By Minister
10/SEP/08
Gazetted
24/SEP/08
Publish Notice Of Declaration
11/APR/09
LGA
Alice Springs Municipality
Statement Of Heritage Value
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.
Value
Historic & Indigenous
Conservation Policy
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.
Description
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.
Instrument
Additional Information