Historic St John’s Cemetery at Parramatta in state of neglect

THE nation’s most historic graveyard containing the remains of 17 First Fleeters and Australia’s oldest marked grave is going to rack and ruin.

WITHIN its grounds are 17 First Fleeters and Australia’s oldest marked grave — but the nation’s most historic graveyard is going to rack and ruin.

Located in the heart of Parramatta, the St John’s Anglican Cemetery is overgrown with metre-high grass and weeds, and sections of its convict-built brick walls are broken.

Local historians are also concerned about fallen headstones being buried under the grass and historic inscriptions fading away.

Paul Bowyer, who runs a heritage bike ride tour around Parramatta, said the state of decay of the graveyard site was “a disgrace”.

“It’s so badly overgrown, it’s a joke,” he said. “You can’t even walk through here at all — so it makes it impossible to visit what is a nationally important site.”

The oldest marked grave in Australia, of Henry Dodd, is at the Parramatta cemetery.

Reverend Samuel Marsden (1764-1838) is among prominent historical figures buried at St John’s.

The stone marker of the oldest in situ grave of Australia — the 1791 tombstone of Henry Dodd, the first farmer of wheat in the country, is becoming obscured by lichen and grass.

St John’s Cemetery also contains the grave of the Reverend Samuel Marsden, and many prominent colonial families including the Wentworths, the Macarthurs, the Batmans, the Blaxlands and John Harris of Harris Park, Mary Kelly of Kellyville, Mary Pymble of Pymble and John Thorn of Thornleigh.

Responsibility for maintaining the site falls on the St John’s Anglican Church Trust, which hadn’t responded to the Parramatta Advertiser by publication deadline.

Brian Powyer, from the Parramatta Historical Society, as well as the local branch of the National Trust, said both organisations were dismayed about the situation.

Paul Bowyer believes the site should be a national tourist attraction. Picture: Justin Sanson

Letters were being written to the church trust, he said, offering support and help in providing experienced historic cemetery work teams.

“Urgent action is required and strong community support and expertise is available to bring about the necessary transformation of the site,” Mr Powyer said.

“The current state and maintenance of the cemetery grounds deters visitors and tourists from entering the site of national significance.”

Mr Bowyer agrees. A long-time resident of Parramatta, and a schoolteacher, Mr Bowyer points out that the site should be a fantastic educational opportunity for students to learn about our history.

“The other unfortunate thing is that so few people actually know what’s in there,” he said.

“Many people of European descent would have a connection with this cemetery — I discovered my great great great grandfather is buried here, though sadly not in a marked grave.”

HISTORY

■ St John’s cemetery is the oldest existing European burial ground in Australia

■ The first interment was James Magee, a convict’s child, buried 31 January 1790

■ The first burial to be marked with a stone memorial was that of Henry Edward Dodd on 28 January 1791, the earliest settler’s grave in Australia with headstone in situ.

■ Notable burials include Reverend Samuel Marsden and 17 marked graves of those who arrived on the First Fleet

■ Pioneers including D’Arcy Wentworth of Wentworthville, John Harris of Harris Park and several members of the Blaxland family are buried at the cemetery

■ The cemetery wall with many of its bricks stamped with government arrows was built by public subscription in the 1820s.