Virtus Heritage

National Guide for ATSI Communities to Identify and Protect Unmarked Graves and Cemeteries

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We are proud to share the National Guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities to Identify and Protect Unmarked Graves and Cemeteries for communities around Australia.

 

Elders and rangers from Mapoon, Queensland, discussing their memories of the locations of the burial places of their family and ancestors (Source: M.Sutton).
Magnetometry survey of a burial mound in Mapoon, Queensland (Source: E. St Pierre).

The guide aims to provide clear and practical advice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia to identify and protect the unmarked graves and burial sites of their ancestors.

The importance of Indigenous leadership, knowledge and history is at the forefront of the information shared in this publication to ensure the guide could support communities in their journey to protect and honour their ancestors in their final resting places on Country. 

The publication also featured art by Chris Wajung Gray, a proud Goori Man from Bundjalung Nation. Our team was privileged to collaborate with the Tweed-Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) and the Mapoon Aboriginal community to develop the guide. 

Ground-penetrating radar system, this one is a GSSI SIR-3000 system with 400 MHz antennas mounted on the “baby jogger” cart being used at Coraki Cemetery, on Bandjalang country, NSW (Source: Virtus Heritage).
At Baryulgil Aboriginal Cemetery NSW multiple GPR grids were established to avoid the surface gravestones, fences and ornaments, typical of historic cemeteries (Source: E. St Pierre).

You can download a copy of the guide on our Resources page here.

Gallery

Burial Mound at Shadforths, Mapoon, QLD (Source: E. St Pierre)
Rangers with GPR specialist Prof. Lawrence Conyers, taking a break from GPR data collection at Mapoon Mission Cemetery, Mapoon, Queensland (Aunty Diane who was instrumental to this tool kit is featured to the le sitting on the blue esky) (Source: M.Sutton).
Magnetometry survey of a burial mound in Mapoon, Queensland (Source: E. St Pierre).
Two mounds from a group of three on Cullen Point, Mapoon, Queensland. Numerous traditional burials were identied with GPR in these mounds. Several mounds in this area also had ‘European style’ burials within them and were known to be used historically as burial places (Source: E. St Pierre).
Sometimes very old informal burials are marked with surface stones, pieces of coral or other items, such as the burial here at Mapoon Mission Cemetery, QLD (Source: M.Sutton).
At Baryulgil Aboriginal Cemetery NSW multiple GPR grids were established to avoid the surface gravestones, fences and ornaments, typical of historic cemeteries (Source: E. St Pierre).
Sites may need to be cleared of some vegetation prior to GPR survey (Source: C. Jennings).
Ground-penetrating radar system, this one is a GSSI SIR-3000 system with 400 MHz antennas mounted on the “baby jogger” cart being used at Coraki Cemetery, on Bandjalang country, NSW (Source: Virtus Heritage).
Aboriginal grave eroding from a coastal dune in Tasmania. Note the large sandstone clast on the surface and several rounded pebbles. It is not known what signi- cance these have (Source: https://www.aboriginalheritage. tas.gov.au/cultural-heritage/aboriginal-burials).
Prof. Conyers and Dr St Pierre looking for unmarked graves using GPR at Mapoon Cemetery, QLD (Source: J. Travaglia).
Elders and rangers from Mapoon, Queensland, discussing their memories of the locations of the burial places of their family and ancestors (Source: M.Sutton).
Unmarked grave identied with GPR between two marked graves at Mapoon Cemetery. is person’s grave was known to exist, however the exact location of their burial was forgotten, and through identication with GPR, is now able to be commemorated appropriately (Source: E. St Pierre).

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Virtus Heritage is committed to the spirit of reconciliation and acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and the Traditional Custodians of the states and territories of Australia. We recognise the Traditional Owners of the lands we work within. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging in maintaining the culture, country and their spiritual and historical connections to the lands and waters.

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