The following information on Beenak Cemetery has been kindly provided by Carolyn and Bernie Sinclair, Secretary and Treasurer respectively of the Beenak Cemetery Trust.
"Beenak Cemetery, near Hoddles Creek, is nestled in a picturesque valley amongst virgin bush land and other natural flora and fauna. It holds the key to the lives of the district's early settlers. It was gazetted as a cemetery on 13 December 1878. Some of the century-old graves were placed in an unmade government road which adjoined the cemetery boundary. The unmade road has since been closed and reserved as part of the cemetery.
"The records of those early days are sketchy, and the lack of headstones means Trustees are unsure of who are buried in some graves, although all the names are known. The first graves in the road were those of a mother and her newborn baby - both died during childbirth. Two other newborn babies and two adults were buried between 1886 and 1889. Only a timber stake marked the graves.
"It wasn't until the 1980's, almost a century later, that Beenak Cemetery really began to service the Upper Yarra population, with the burial of two well-known long-time residents in the district beginning a new interest in the tranquil bush cemetery. People have come to realize the cemetery is steeped in the district's heritage and they appreciate its unspoiled surrounds which will never be built out. In keeping with the bush cemetery, most graves have simple markers and timber surrounds.
"The cemetery survived the great bush fires of 1926 and 1939 when markers were burned and the original picket fence destroyed. Beenak Cemetery will weather many other disasters and continue to record the area's history."
Paul Bech visited the cemetery and made digital images of all visible inscriptions in October 2009. His images may be downloaded from the list of inscriptions for this cemetery. That list was compiled with reference to the Australian War Memorial online military rolls for additional information.
Beenak Cemetery is administered by the Beenak Cemetery Trust for the Cardinia Shire Council. For further information, contact the Secretary, Beenak Cemetery Trust, 35 Willis Rd, Hoddles Creek VIC 3139 or visit their website.