The cemetery is one of the oldest and largest remaining cemeteries in metropolitan Sydney. It was established on 19 May 1868 by the New South Wales politician William Tunks. The first body was interred in 1877, and until its closure in 1974, 14,456 burials took place. Most burials took place between 1900 and 1930.
The cemetery has cobblestone avenues between the graves, and lots of trees and foliage. It is currently in a dilapidated state as many of the headstones have broken off and lie on the ground. The graves are largely covered in weeds and grass. Many of the graves date back to the early 1800's. It includes the remains of a number of deceased persons initially buried in the Devonshire Street Cemetery, but which were transferred before its redevelopment in 1901. There are also 17 war graves of Commonwealth service personnel of World War I, registered and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Several local councils administered the cemetery until 1875, when trustees from various denominations of churches took over the role. By the 1950s burials had decreased, and in 1974 the cemetery ceased operating and was renamed the Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery.