Join the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology on a free walking tour of Rookwood Necropolis led by archaeologist, Dr Siobhan Lavelle OAM.
Rookwood Cemetery, or to use its formal name, the Necropolis (City of the Dead), forms its own suburb occupying almost three square kilometres between Strathfield and Lidcombe in Sydney’s inner west. Recognised amongst the largest burial grounds in the world, Rookwood Necropolis is a place of outstanding cultural and environmental heritage significance.
Established in 1867, Rookwood was originally seven separate cemeteries, each with their own Trustees. Most incorporated elaborate ornamental plantations with formal planting along roads and avenues. Over 400 species have been recorded. Rookwood has remained in use through the allocation of additional area, and now comprises some 286 hectares (700 acres).
The use of the site for more than 150 years has produced a diverse layering of monumental types and styles. Monuments range from the elaborate headstones and vaults of the Victorian period to the standardised and simple memorials in the present-day lawn cemeteries. Containing the graves of more than 1 million people, Rookwood displays the humble beside the ostentatious, the austere beside the extravagant. The tour will visit several of the ‘No.1 Cemeteries’ in the oldest area.
About the tour leader. The tour will be led by Dr Siobhan Lavelle OAM. Siobhan has particular interest and expertise in cemetery conservation. Her OAM was awarded in 2009 ‘For service to historical archaeology and heritage conservation, particularly the preservation of colonial roads and cemeteries.’ She also has a National Trust Commendation in 2008 ‘For continuous service and work with the National Trust since 1985 as a staff member and a volunteer member of the Cemeteries Committee.’ Siobhan was a Trustee and Board Member at Rookwood in the 1990s and 2000s, finishing her last term in 2012.
When: 10.30am to 12.30pm, Sunday 22 May 2022
Where: meet at the Jewish Holocaust Memorial (Martyrs Memorial), Necropolis Circuit, Rookwood Cemetery, 1 Hawthorne Ave, Rookwood NSW 2141
What to bring: A picnic lunch, water, sun and rain protection, and good sturdy walking shoes.
For more information: https://asha.org.au/event/rookwood-tour-for-national-archaeology-week-2022/
To register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/rookwood-tour-for-national-archaeology-week-2022-tickets-321660654677