Gilgandra General Cemetery
Address: Castlereagh Highway, Gilgandra 2827 NSW
The cemetery is little more than 100 years old, the earliest memorials we found being dated 1895. I understand that there was an earlier burial ground (on the river bank opposite the Newell and Castlereagh Highways junction east of town) but no sign of this now remains. The current monumental cemetery is divided into denominational portions, all clearly signposted, with each row marked. The monuments consist almost entirely of marble and granite. There is virtually no sign of subsidence or vandalism. However, there are many unmarked graves, especially of those who died during the Great Depression years in the 1930s. A lawn cemetery was established about 1976 and now holds nearly 500 graves. Lawns are maintained with bore water. There is also a small columbarium near the main entrance. There are no amenities.
On each visit, we found the cemetery in good condition. The weeds were under control, the lawns were cut and trimmed - but we did have to work during a plague of locusts that adorn many of our images.
This list was compiled from digital images that Jean and I made of every visible inscription and from notes taken on site over four days in April 2004. We also consulted the NSW index of births, deaths and marriages to help clarify some difficult to read names and dates and for further information. Images of the inscriptions may be viewed and downloaded from the list of all inscriptions for this cemetery.
How to find it
From the Gilgandra CBD, take the Newell Highway, across the Castlereagh River, north towards Coonabarabran for 1km and then turn right onto the Castlereagh Highway. From this intersection it is exactly 1km to the cemetery entrance on the left hand (northern) side of the road.
More information
The cemetery is administered and maintained by the Gilgandra Shire Council. Contact Council at PO Box 23 Gilgandra NSW 2827; phone: 02 6847 2709; email: council@gilgandra.nsw.gov.au
See http://www.gilgandra.nsw.gov.au/
Inscriptions
The number of inscriptions for this cemetery is 2655
The listing was last updated on 2006-01-12
The listing was complete as at 2004-04-16
See the list of all inscriptions for Gilgandra General Cemetery.
Search for a specific family name in all cemeteries.