A group of residents in the south east-metro region have banded together to preserve graves in Kelmscott.
The Cemetery Conservation Interest Group was formed earlier this year with Gosnells resident Maureen Pease as chairwoman.
The group was working to conserve and preserve the cemetery in the grounds of St Mary in the Valley Church in River Road.
Ms Pease said the group was born out of Heritage Week Festival held in April.
“We were walking around the cemetery and started talking about the best way to conserve the cemetery without destroying the heritage,” she said.
“I found out that day about 20 people or so were really interested in conserving the cemetery.”
The cemetery was consecrated on March 28, 1874 and Kelmscott was one of the earliest towns to be established (1830) after the Swan River Colony.
By 1875 burials were taking place at the church cemetery as settlement grew.
Ms Pease said the work the group had done so far was mind-boggling.
“I’m overwhelmed with the interest and the amount of progress we’ve made in three months,” she said.
“We’ve almost completed the remapping of the cemetery and we’ve started the application to get the cemetery heritage listed.”
The Cemetery Conservation Interest Group will be hosting a walk through the cemetery on August 26 from 10am to 12pm and cost was a gold coin donation.
For more information or to register call Kim Fletcher on 9399 2388 or Maureen Pease on 9398 4090.
