Sandgate Cemetery Restoration

About this Item
Speakers - Price Mr John; Page The Hon Ernest
Business - Private Members Statements

SANDGATE CEMETERY RESTORATION

Mr PRICE (Waratah) [6.57]: I congratulate the Government and the Minister for Transport on the support that the State Rail Authority is giving to the Sandgate Cemetery Trust restoration program. The cemetery has undertaken a project that is known locally as the Sandgate cemetery redevelopment project, which has attracted a $3.1 million grant from the Department of Employment, Education and Training. The grant will enable the trust to employ 180 people over an 18-month period in six-month envelopes. The employment will not be permanent, but it will offer training opportunities, provide employees with a curriculum
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vitae and enable them to make their way in the community. It is a genuine effort by the former Federal Government, supported by the New South Wales Government, to ensure that job opportunities will be made available as a result of the program.

Honourable members may wonder why such extensive restoration would be required, but the cemetery has significant heritage value to the Newcastle and lower Hunter region. It is one of the historical landmarks in the area. Over the years the cemetery has deteriorated, as many such establishments do, and there is the added problem of subsidence resulting from the 1989 earthquake. A lot of the damage was not made good, and the condition in which the graves were left has caused distress to a number of ethnic groups within the community that place burial fairly highly on their list of social obligations. The trust's meagre resources meant that it was unable to undertake the significant restoration and drainage work that was required. That work can now proceed and the project will involve a number of exciting aspects. One can get excited about cemeteries, principally because they are historical sites. Sandgate cemetery is part of the history of Newcastle and dates from 1881. Most of the long-term families in the area would be represented in some way on the tablets within that cemetery. In cultural, historical and heritage terms Sandgate cemetery is extremely important. I am pleased to advise the House that the State Government is contributing to its restoration. I quote from a letter that I have received from the trust, which states:

One of the most historically significant sites at the Cemetery, is the existing railway line which was used for transportation for burials. It was last used as recently as 1987. One of the features of the scope of works is to reinstate the railway line for practical use. Already trainees have completed initial work on the line, exposing sleepers and minor repairs.

Eventually the work on the railway will include replacing some sleepers, ballast and dog spikes and restoring and refurbishing the original mortuary station. Ultimately, two carriages will be used as a museum highlighting the history of the site.

The State Government, at the request of the trust, has agreed to provide through the State Rail Authority - and this project has the Minister's blessing - 3,000 seconds sleepers and 12,000 dog spikes to enable the continuation of the refurbishment. The trust is seriously considering requesting 2,300 tonnes of ballast. This significant refurbishment will bring back into service a 150-metre long railway line that has two junctions and twin lines. Anyone who has seen the restoration of the mortuary station near central station would appreciate the craftsmanship that went into the building of those stations. I am sure that the restoration work that has been carried out at the Sandgate cemetery has added to the heritage value of buildings in the Hunter area.

I understand that a tremendous amount of landscaping will be undertaken by EJE Landscape Architects, who are committed to reinstating the important heritage value of the cemetery. The work will not be coordinated by the trust, although that is the principal body to which the grant was made; the Wallsend Training and Development Centre will undertake on-the-ground supervision. As I said earlier, it is hoped that work on this site will be completed by July 1997. I have no doubt that, once it is completed, there will be a striking improvement in the area. I accept that these days burials, to a great degree, are of secondary importance to cremations. [Time expired.]

Mr E. T. PAGE (Coogee - Minister for Local Government) [7.02]: I commend the honourable member for Waratah for raising this matter. He said that Sandgate cemetery has great historic value in the Newcastle area. I empathise with that because most of my forebears, including my mother and father, are buried in that cemetery. The honourable member for Waratah said that the former Federal Labor Government and this State Government have done something to maintain this great heritage site. I am pleased that this heritage site in Newcastle will be maintained. The historic Waverley cemetery is in my electorate. Waverley Council, the local trustee, does a great job maintaining the cemetery as a significant heritage site and Waverley library, which takes a great interest in the site, conducts public tours through the cemetery. Every year I attend a seminar conducted by the American Legion - the equivalent of our Returned Services League - which celebrates a memorial service. Recently it found that nine American Civil War veterans were buried in Waverley cemetery. I am well aware of the heritage significance of cemeteries and I commend the honourable member for Waratah for raising this matter in the House.

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