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Lone Graves of the Goldfields

Posted 25/05/2019 in History


Lone graves are a fascinating feature of the Victorian Goldfields, and along with the region's historical cemeteries they provide an interesting glimpse into the past. Some lone graves exist because the burial predated the establishment of a local cemetery, others are left behind after cemetery relocation, others simply lie outside the boundary of nearby cemeteries. The following list provides details about some of the Victorian Goldfields' intriguing lone graves.

Lone Grave, Lake Eppalock

Lone grave, Knowsley VIC

The lone grave of Katherine Patterson and Mary Lumsden Patterson sits beneath a tree in a grassy field alongside Lake Eppalock, just down the road from the beautiful Moorabbee Bluff. Read more...


Miner's Grave, Lillicur

Miner's Grave, Lillicur VIC

This lone grave is located within the Talbot Nature Conservation Reserve in Lillicur, alongside the Mia Mia Reef Mine site. The grave belongs to a man named Baldock who was killed in a mining accident. Read more...

Lone Grave of Mother and Child, Maldon

Lone Grave of Mother and Child, Maldon VIC

The intriguing lone grave of a mother and her infant son is hidden away in a lane between Chapel Street South and Fountain Track in Maldon, Victoria. The headstone reads: "In memory of Elizabeth, wife of William Anset, of Brixton England. Died 19th July 1854, Aged 27. Also her infant son, aged 14 days". Read more...


Child's Grave, near Maldon

Monument for nearby child's grave, Tarrengower VIC

A lone unmarked grave, thought to be the resting place of the first child to die in this area in the 1850s, sits about 50 metres off Watersons Road just outside Maldon. This monument stands on the roadside south of the grave site and provides some details about the unfortunate child. Read more...

The Lonely Graves of Waanyarra

Lone grave, Waanyarra VIC

Have you been out to Waanyarra to check out the Historic CemeteryRecreation Site or Morton's Welcome Inn? If so, you may have noticed the series of mysterious graves scattered along the roadside. There is a local story that a prostitute died in the area in the mid 19th century and was denied burial within the cemetery by the Cemetery Trustees. One particular grave was thought by locals to be the resting place of the prostitute, and it has been restored over the years to its current state. Regardless of exactly who is buried in these scattered graves along Waanyarra Cemetery Road, they have been beautifully adorned with stones and flowers and are yet another remarkable feature of the fascinating Victorian Goldfields. Read more...


Tomb of Bi Jiang, Avoca

Chinese tomb, Avoca VIC

Located at the Avoca Lead Wayside Stop, the tomb of Bi Jiang (dated 1850s) was found on this site and is now presented within a small fence and clear cover. It sits alongside the site of the butcher shop run by Bi Jiang (English name Percy Kang Senior). Read more...

Lone Grave of Catherine Glen Rinder, Wedderburn

Grave of Catherine Glen Rinder, Wedderburn VIC

The grave of Catherine Glen Rinder can be found along Wilson Street in Wedderburn, Victoria. This was an early burial site which was never gazetted. Although there is evidence of other burials, Catherine's grave is the only immediately visible grave at this site. Read more...


Lonely grave of Thomas Whyte, Wedderburn

Grave of Thomas Whyte, Wedderburn VIC

Thomas Whyte's lone grave lies in the bush alongside Bernarra Street in Wedderburn. Whyte was a miner during the 1850s gold rush and his tent was located close to the grave site. Read more...

Glengower Pioneers Memorial Grave, Campbelltown


This pioneers' memorial grave is tucked away in a field alongside Strathlea Road, Campbelltown. The memorial was erected in 1949 to commemorate the burial site of three people associated with the Glengower station who died in the early 1840s. The first man buried at this site, a cook at Glengower station, was murdered - the story associated with his death is quite gruesome. The second man was savaged to death at Glengower station by dogs, and the third was an employee who died of natural causes. The memorial is on private property but can be viewed and appreciated from the roadside. Read more...

Escott Grave, Chewton

Escott Grave, Chewton VIC

The lone grave of Elizabeth and Fanny Escott sits alongside Evanmore Track in Chewton. After the death of her husband, Elizabeth Escott and seven of her eleven children emigrated to the goldfields from England in 1853. Within two years, two of her daughters had died, and Elizabeth herself died a year later. Read more...

Ninnes Grave, Maiden Gully

Ninnes Grave, Maiden Gully VIC

The story of Ninnes Grave is a heart breaking and all-too-common tale from the early years of Victoria's gold rush. After a difficult ten week journey from the copper mines of South Australia to the gold diggings of Victoria, tragedy struck the Ninnes family when Thomas Ninnes' wife, Maria and two young daughters, Grace and Jane died, leaving Thomas and their two surviving daughters, Martha and Mary, to grieve their untimely demise. Thomas built their coffins, dug the grave, carved their names in a tree and constructed a small stone fence around their burial site. Read more...


Do you know of any other lone graves throughout the Victorian Goldfields? Let us know in the comments below.

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Comments

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Darren Graham
22/01/2020
Little Shepherd's Daughter's grave just outside of Lal Lal. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-10/shepherds-daughters-grave-fascinates-locals-more-than-century/9633560
Goldfields Guide
22/01/2020
Thanks Darren, definitely on the to-do list! :)