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Image: A woman and child sit beside a grave in the newly opened Woronora Cemetery, as the mortuary train passes in the background.
Our collective history
Timeline
Haslams Creek Cemetery
1867
Haslams Creek Cemetery (where Rookwood General Cemetery is located today) was consecrated to coincide with the closure of Devonshire Street Cemetery. The mortuary train (pictured) commenced with twice daily services running from Sydney’s Central Station No.1.
Rookwood Cemetery and Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery
1868
The Necropolis Act (1867) came into force on 1 January 1868 formally dedicating the Rookwood Cemetery and establishing cemetery trusts. Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery was established by then politician, William Turks.
Sandgate Cemetery
1881
Sandgate Cemetery opened and continues to serve the people of Newcastle and the Greater Region to this day.
Botany Cemetery
1888
Land in the Eastern Suburbs district of Sydney was dedicated as Botany Cemetery. Bunnerong Cemetery opened to take unclaimed remains from the former Devonshire Street Cemetery (pictured).
Field of Mars Cemetery
1890
Field of Mars Cemetery was established.
Woronora Cemetery
1895
Woronora Cemetery was established on 1 April 1895. The first interment occurred the following day, 2 April 1895.
Northern Suburbs General Cemetery
1902
Northern Suburbs General Cemetery was committed, although it would be another two decades until the first burial.
Frenchs Forest General Cemetery
1932
Frenchs Forest General Cemetery was gazetted by the Lands Department, and officially dedicated in 1937.
Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park
1972
Bunnerong Cemetery, Botany Cemetery, and Eastern Suburbs Crematorium amalgamated to create Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park.
Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium
2004
Northern Suburbs General Cemetery was renamed Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium. The crematorium and three chapels were established.
Metropolitan Memorial Parks
2023
On 1 July 2023, Metropolitan Memorial Parks was gazetted by the Lands Departments to formally amalgamate Northern Cemeteries, Rookwood General Cemetery and Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries.
History timeline
1867
Rookwood’s beginnings and the mortuary train
As Sydney grew, so did the need for a larger burial ground. Haslams Creek Cemetery, now known as Rookwood General Cemetery, was consecrated to replace the overcrowded Devonshire Street Cemetery. To accommodate mourners traveling from the city, a dedicated mortuary train service was introduced, running twice daily from Central Station No.1. This marked the beginning of a unique chapter in Sydney’s funeral traditions.
Image credit: State Library of New South Wales
1868
Introduction of the Necropolis Act
Just a year later, the importance of proper cemetery management became clear. The Necropolis Act (1867) came into force on 1 January 1868, officially dedicating Rookwood Cemetery and establishing cemetery trusts. Meanwhile, another significant burial ground was established by then politician, William Turks — Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery — adding to Sydney’s growing network of cemeteries.
Image credit: 1867, New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), 27 December, p. 3619. , viewed 26 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page12766006
1881
Sandgate Cemetery opened
Beyond Sydney, Newcastle’s growing population also required a dedicated burial ground. Sandgate Cemetery was established to serve the region, providing a final resting place for future generations of families.
Image: One of the first funeral trains at Sandgate Cemetery, 1883. https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/88745
1888
Botany and Bunnerong cemeteries established
Sydney’s eastern suburbs saw two significant additions to their memorial landscape. Land was dedicated for Botany Cemetery, while Bunnerong Cemetery was established to take in unclaimed remains from the recently closed Devonshire Street Cemetery.
Image: The Catholic section of Bunnerong Cemetery, with the headstones in the original order as they had been at Devonshire Street Cemetery.
1890
Field of Mars Cemetery opened
As the city spread further north, the need for additional burial sites became evident. In response, Field of Mars Cemetery was established, adding another chapter to Sydney’s evolving memorial landscape.
Image source: Sixmaps, 1943.
1895
Woronora Cemetery officially opened
Further south, Woronora Cemetery was officially opened on 1 April. The very next day, its first interment took place, beginning a legacy of memorialisation that continues to this day.
1902
Northern Suburbs General Cemetery
By the early 20th century, the northern suburbs required their own major cemetery. Plans were drawn up for Northern Suburbs General Cemetery in 1902, but it would take another two decades before the first burial was carried out.
1932
Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery – a new era
With Sydney continuing to expand, another cemetery was needed to serve the northern districts. In 1932, the Lands Department gazetted Frenchs Forest General Cemetery, which was officially dedicated five years later.
Image source: Six maps, 1943
1972
Uniting the east - Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park
By the 1970s, cemetery consolidation became a priority. Bunnerong Cemetery, Botany Cemetery, and Eastern Suburbs Crematorium merged to form Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park. This marked a significant milestone in the evolution of cemetery management, ensuring the long-term sustainability of these important sites.
Image: Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park aerial shot of the South and West Chapels, and crematorium.
2004
Macquarie Park Cemetery expands
Northern Suburbs General Cemetery underwent a major transformation in 2004, rebranding as Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium. Alongside the name change, the site expanded with the addition of a crematorium and three chapels, offering families a more comprehensive range of services.
2012
Major cemetery trusts formed
Significant changes in cemetery administration took place in 2012, bringing several historic sites under unified management. Sandgate Cemetery and the remainder of Field of Mars Cemetery were incorporated into the Northern Suburbs Cemetery Trust. The Northern Metropolitan Cemeteries Land Manager was established to unite Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery, Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery, Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, and parts of Field of Mars Cemetery. At Rookwood, the Rookwood General Cemeteries Reserve Trust was formed, bringing together the former Anglican, General, Independent, Jewish, and Muslim Trusts. Meanwhile, Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust was created to oversee both Eastern Suburbs and Woronora Memorial Parks.
2023
Metropolitan Memorial Parks
A decade later, another major transformation took place. On 1 July 2023, Metropolitan Memorial Parks was officially established, merging Northern Cemeteries, Rookwood General Cemetery, and Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries into one Crown land manager. This marked a new era in cemetery management, preserving Sydney and Newcastle’s history while ensuring future generations have meaningful places for remembrance.
