Karrakatta Cemetery, Western Australia Rest in Peace... or...
Do you know where your great grandparents or grandparents or any other deceased family are resting tonight ? Too strong?
I'm sure the families of these poor souls wonder as well...
How can this be justified? Is this all we owe our ancestors?
This is a vast country, are we really that short of space?
What contributions did these people make to Western Australia? Did they raise families, adding to the community? Were they folk who helped aid others? Did their loved ones save hard to place a loving tribute to their family?
So many questions unanswered...
here they were supposed to be safe and free at last...
As family historians, genealogists, or simply and most importantly, family and others who care, please make your voice heard.
These are in a compound, if not claimed, then they are to be crushed for road base. This is obscene.
GRANDMA'S FOUNDATION
I went to visit Grandma
Her stone it wasn't there
I thought I made an error
But I did look everywhere
It was then I noticed rubble
Right against the fence
And a dumpster full of rubbish
It really was quite dense.
Then I saw my Grandma's name
As if she was calling me
"Please help me darling granddaughter
Will you please help me be free
For crushing is the next step
Road base they say they need
I suspect that that is just a cover up
It all comes down to greed.
The land here's rather valuable
I heard the workmen say
My lovely stone you saved for
Will be destroyed today."
(c) crissouli
If you don't want this to happen, please sign the petitions that are circulating to try to stop the wanton destruction of headstones. No wonder the vandals have no respect for cemeteries when the authorities don't. It could be your family next. Western Australia now, a cemetery near you next.
Please visit our facebook page to read newspaper articles and look at photographs that reflect what is taking place.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/133954763444789/
Many thanks,
Sandra, Craig and Kay
There is a petition at
You are very welcome to sign and make your thoughts known.
TWITTER users
TWITTER users
follow Saving Graves WA on Twitter @savinggraveswa
Do they Rest in Peace? I think not.
Such needless and senseless destruction of our heritage and disrespect for those who have gone before us :(
ReplyDeleteAillin, it is so hard to believe... according to a recent article there, they are now talking of 'burying' folk in a biodegradable bag, standing up... no headstones or plaques. I keep wondering if these cretins care about their own families... what if it was a child or spouse of theirs? Would they still destroy the memorials, or horror of horrors, have no identification whatsoever...
DeleteThe ways of the world have always confused me, and tonight confound me.
ReplyDeleteJames, confound is one word... heartless comes first to mind, and so many others follow.
DeleteWhen I first heard about this a little while back, I wondered if it was 'only' the removal of broken, irreparable headstones. I soon discovered it wasn't. Other than scream from the hilltops, we can do little. Please feel free to pass this on, whether it be the link to this post, the Facebook group page, the petition, Twitter, anything and everything, for if they get away with this, it will spread throughout the countries, fuelled by greed and apathy.
This is SO horrifying Chris and the pictures say it all! The same sort thing is happening here in South Australia and I urge everyone to sign the petition. It could soon be your loved one's final resting place at risk. It's time for all Australians to join voices and STOP this... I reckon.
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful poem reaches right in and touches my very heart... Thankyou Chris.
We need many voices, Catherine, glad we have yours also.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the poem reached out to you.
How on earth can the authorities call this respectful? There is no respect for the deceased or the living relatives in this. There is also no respect or consideration of history either.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Colin.. I totally agree. I don't know how they live with themselves... Please feel free to forward this message on to as many as possible and ask for the petition to be signed if you feel you can. We need as many voices as possible.
DeleteThis is a disgrace .... my g-uncle Fred is buried in KarraKatta Cemetery ....,.his stone has already been removed and obviously crushed ...(he had no children of his own and all his next of kin is over here on the east coast) .....they informed me when i phoned to ask where he was that his body had been dug deeper into the soil and the grave reused ... and this for a man who fought for this country in WW1 .....if they want to do upright buriels to save space... they would have enough space for a memorial plate on it.
ReplyDeleteIt is a disgrace, Martina... and I'm saddened to hear about your g-uncle. They have absolutely no respect or feeling for the departed or the living. I have no idea how they sleep at night... may the souls of the departed haunt their dreams.
ReplyDeleteLovely Poem says it all. More people need to get involved regardless of which state you live in as it will happen everywhere, such a senseless destruction and heartbreaking act.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nola... let's hope that our united voices can help them see this is not acceptable.
DeleteSuch a sad thought that our loved ones can not even rest in peace😥
ReplyDeleteIt is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteSo sad!
ReplyDeleteIt is, especially when we have so many vast spaces...
ReplyDeleteFamily History will be so much harder for future generations to discover..Is the information from these headstones being recorded? Then we will be charged to access it.? There is nothing quite like wandering round an old Cemetery & reading some of the inscriptions on the headstones. Better still when you find a relatives grave..Some people may like to be buried with their G/Grandparents or Grandparents.? What is wrong with vertical burials? that method would save space in the Cemeteries..another option , set aside another area and start a new Cemetery. Plans are made for growth areas, like shopping centres, schools ,housing etc..but not Cemeteries..
ReplyDeleteWe have to find some way that doesn't strip our civilisation of respect for our ancestors...we are part of them, and they of us, for eternity .. We all need to be able to grieve and remember, and to speak up .. so that we, the people who pay the bills, get some say... not just the money counters.
Delete:(
ReplyDeleteThat sums it up, Anne.. 😰
Deletethis destruction is still continuing with ppl trying to stop it
ReplyDeleteThis is disgusting!! My ancestors are all there and there is nothing that I can do to save them from this fate. Please stop this now. Already there is so much of this history destroyed. Future generations will judge your actions and lack of concern for history and the families whose loved ones lie here. Your destruction is despicable!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a way to ease your pain, but it seems no one is listening.. it is despicable.
ReplyDelete