Description Cooktown Cemetery

melaleuca acacioides @ cooktown cemetery, 2015

cooktown cemetery 9.72 hectare reserve situated approximately 1.7 km southwest centre of town. reserve fronts cooktown-mcivor river road (formerly palmer road) southeast, , gazetted unmade roads form northern , southern boundaries. on west bounded local government reserve slaughtering purposes, , on east freehold land. there prominent, locally devised interpretative sign in front of reserve.

the northern , southwestern portions of reserve covered in native vegetation: melaleuca spp., eucalyptus spp (principally bloodwood), pandanus palms, native gingers , various grasses. granite outcrop two-thirds of distance reserve cooktown-mcicvor river road entrance has restricted of 3,000 plus burials southern , eastern sections of reserve. majority of marked graves located in open, grassed section in southeast quarter of reserve. there trees in section, self-sown, number of frangipanni - possibly remnants of tree-lined drive - , coconut palms, appear planting.

there cast-iron palisade fence spearheaded stakes, manufactured bayliss jones , bayliss of london, along front boundary of reserve addressing cooktown-mcivor river road. main entrance gates have been removed , replaced metal chain. entrance road extends northward, forking in middle of reserve. track west terminates @ chinese shrine in middle western section of reserve, , other extends eastern boundary. these tracks , 2 secondary pathways divide cemetery denominational sections - roman catholic, presbyterian, church of england, methodist - , there jewish, buddhist, islamic, aboriginal , pagan groupings. recent graves, in less distinct denominational groupings, found along eastern boundary.

the graves in grassed section of cemetery christian , aligned east-west, although there exceptions, , 1 faces directly west. approximately 300 memorials of diverse design, in sandstone or marble , iron, scattered through area. headstones survive social elite , professional classes - medical, religious , administrative group, along successful cooktown merchants, businesspersons , civic leaders. graves of working people - labourers, carriers, dressmakers, market gardeners, miners - tend lie unmarked. of stone memorials constructed in brisbane, townsville or cairns , shipped cooktown, , costs have been prohibitive. surviving headstones , memorials reflect on 120 years of diverse memorial , cultural symbolism , illustrate work of stonemasons lowther, j simmonds, , hobbs & carter of brisbane; patten bros of sydney; ernest greenway of ipswich; , melrose & fenwick of townsville , cairns. number of graves in section have ornate cast-iron railings, elaborate of around graves of sisters of mercy.

grave of mrs mary watson, 1986

other graves of note include of mrs mary watson, died of thirst escaping hostile aborigines on lizard island in 1881; albert ross hovell, prominent mariner , son of explorer william hovell, known more involvement in blackbirding ; elizabeth jardine, husband john founded somerset on cape york peninsula, , sons pioneer cattlemen in northern australia; mother mary de sales meagher, founder of sisters of mercy convent in cooktown; albert mclaren, founder of new guinea mission in 1891; brinsley guise sheridan, police magistrate @ cooktown , cardwell; rev. john hutchinson, first roman catholic bishop of vicariate apostolic of cooktown; dr h kortum, understood cooktown s , queensland s last german consul; , 1907 memorial french mariners died of yellow fever.

to west of grassy section small grouping of jewish gravestones , aboriginal graves, marked sapling branches @ each corner, , north of these chinese shrine. native vegetation has re-established in these areas. few relict trees, including mangoes, line main track chinese shrine short distance.

chinese shrine, 2010

the chinese shrine comprises rectangular concrete platform approximately 6 metres long 3 metres wide lying in north-south direction, @ southern end of which, , facing north, upright concrete memorial tablet, on written in large script chinese characters tjin ju tsai: respect dead if present . there 2 other, smaller, inscriptions on tablet. right gives date shrine erected: lucky spring day in third month of thirteenth year of reign of emperor kuang hsu (1874-1908), ch ing dynasty . on left inscription reads: erected, respect, chinese community of cooktown . in front of tablet low concrete altar, on food offerings placed spirit of departed. platform enclosed concrete edging , ornate cast-iron railing. beyond northern end of platform , approximately 2 metres away 2 ceremonial fire-boxes, constructed of fire bricks rendered cement. each approximately 1.2m grate @ bottom. open tops permitted paper prayers , temple money burned, assisting spirits on journey life beyond world.

northwest of consecrated ground lie graves of individuals such normanby woman and, in dense melaleuca scrub beyond this, grave of elizabeth cooper, drowned in endeavour river in august 1874, prior cemetery survey. within regrowth area located clay brick-pitched well, , beyond rectangular arrangement of shallow ditches, remnants of irrigation channelling system purported of chinese origin. original cemetery survey indicated chinese gardens adjacent cemetery reserve, along two-mile creek, none within reserve, if such garden established on reserve, @ period after 1874.