| Present Kerang cemetery began in 1862. There were 72 burials prior to 1878 when the Register commenced. The first burial was a shepherd from Lake Meran.
The Neutral North and Neutral South signs within the cemetery gates were the divisions of Protestant and Roman Catholic burials prior to the present method of division by religious domination. No other cemetery has been found to use this method of division in early cemeteries. |
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The Gates forming an impressive entry to the cemetery were made by local company, Dunstan Farmers Engineering. The Memorial Gates were opened in 1967 and dedicated to the memory of the pioneers.
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Below are some highlights from the 'Self Guided Walk of Kerang Cemetery' featured in the Brouchure 'Self Guided Walk or Drive of Historic Kerang' available from the Kerang Information Centre or from the Gannawarra Shire Offices.
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1. Woodford Patchell (1831-1893)
| Born in Ireland and educated to a Bcahelor of Arts at Trinity College, Dublin. Arrived at Old Kerang 1857 to cmmence business. Founder of Modern Kerang 5kms downstream in 1858 and believed to be the first practical irrigator in Victoria. (refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang , 77.)
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2. Thomas Littleton (1831-1886)
| Born in Liverpool, England. Arrived in Adelaide 1853. Worked at old Kerang as a book keeper. Established his own store in Scoresby St in 1876 (refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang, 9.)
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3. Murphy Headstone
| Celtic harp and shamrocks depict country of family's origins. Also features Ivy-friendship, Olive-peace and Ferns-humility.
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4. Josephine Cadusch (1892-1913)
| Thrown from a buggy when a horse bolted. She was to be married a few months later. Headstone features the Anchor of Hope, Cavalry Cross and 3-step pedestal representing The Trinity of Faith, Hope and Charity.
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5. Duncan Marquis (1800-1867)
| Born in Argyll, Scotland. A shepherd on Lake Meran.
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6. Roman Catholic Priest
| Features a Celtic Cross. Only Catholic Priest known to be buried in the Cemetery. Grave restoed by Father Joe Taylor.
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7-8. S. Oliver (1917-1945)
and O. Margarella(1917-1945) Italian Prisoners of War
| Both killed when a ruck over turned returning from work on the Wakool rice fields. Headstones feature a soldier's helmet provided by the War Graves Commission.
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9. Thomas Bax (1846-1863)
| Second burial registered at cemetery. William Bax (1860-1866)- Fourteenth burial registered at cemetery. Both drowned in the Loddon River.
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10. Thomas Fenton (1852-1865)
| Twelfth burial registered at cemetery. Headstone features a broken column, symbolic of life cut short. Cause of death "departed this world suddenly from the bite of a snake."
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11. George Adams (died 1907)
| Born at Dartmoth England. Left school when 13. Gold brought George to Bendigo in 1854 but had little success in gold diggingand took up his former trade as a carpenter. Built the first town hall. Railway Station, School of Mines, St Paul's Tower and numerous buildings in Bendigo. Came to Kerang 1873 and set up business in Scoresby Street ( refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang, 48.) Many of Kerang's early buildings were erected by George Adams. Sarah Adams (died 1919) and children.
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11a. Kerr Headstone
| Features urn on elaborately fringed lace altar cloth symbolising the Shroud of Christ.
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12. Roden Castles (died 1937)
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13. Reuben Hetherington (died 1946)
and Helen Hetherington (died 1959)
| Lived in Gannawarra Homestead and raised 12 children. The first baby died in Helen's arms as she carried it to the doctor. Reuben's hand was blown off when a shotgun blew open. He was brought to Kerang for treatment by horse and gig.
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14. Angus Heffer
| Symbols of RAAF and Masonic lodge on headstone. His brother was killed in World War 2. Angus never married but took care of his brother's family the rest of his life.
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15. Damien Williams
| Redgum headstone. Grave constructed by family as final tribute.
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16. Coad Family
| Features the family crest on headstone.
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17. Roby Manuel (1895-1975)
| Dare-devil World War 1 fighter pilot. Led the Australian Flying Corps victory flight over London in 1919 as 5000 Australian troops marched below. He flew his plane under Tower Bridge.
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18. Thomas Gardener (died 1918)
| "One of the ANZACS" Featured on ABC presentation "Pozierez."
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Unumbered grave- Mary Fraser (died 1909)
| Chest tomb- Mary Fraser (died 1909), her daughter, Catherine (died 1941), and Son-in-law, Henry (died 1942)
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19. Karlie McDonald (died 1927)
| Teacher. Drowned in Loddon River while assisting a student in difficulty. Town clock erected as a memorial (refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang, 1).
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20. Angus McIntosh (died 1892)
| Isabella, Jane and Mary Jan, e all victims of the 1919 influenza epidemic.
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21. Septimus Chenoweth (1891-1911)
| Thrown from a horse at the corner of Boundry and Wellington Streets. Inquest found he was "riding a horse down Wellington Street in a dangerous and irresponsible manner." Headstone features clasped hands. One male and one female to signify love, friendship, farewell. Always the right hand. The left hand was the hand of the devil.
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22. Robert Henry Bott (died 1918)
and Mary Ann Bott (died 1937)
| Travelling through the area in 1879, their small son vanished at Kow Swamp. No trace of him was ever found. Many years later Mary Ann dreamt that he was on board a ship coming to Melbourne. She actually met the ship but found no-one that was likely to he her son. She placed a candle in the window every night for the rest of her life for her lost child.
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23. Henry Taverner (died 1889)
and Margret Sarah Tavener (died 1913)
| Both came from Ireland in the 1852 Gold Rush. Owned the "Old Loddon Inn" at Old Kerang in 1864. Built the Commercial Hotel (refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang, 3) in Kerang in 1877. Built "Summerhill" farm just north of Kerang on the Murray Valley Hwy 1876. Inscription reflects the rather morbid attitude to death which prevailed at the time.
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24. Dr. William Gregory (1843-1888)
and T.S. Wilson (died 1894)
| Dr. Gregory practiced in Kerang 1882-1888 . Born in Madras, India and was highly qualified. Made several voyages as a ship's surgeon between England and Australia. After he died his Widow, Martha, bought the Farmer's Arms Hotel in Kerang, Now Gilbert Hotel (refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang, 36). She married T.S. Wilson in 1892 and when he died in 1894 he was buried with Dr. Gregory. Martha died in 1895 and is believed to be buried in this same grave, but there is no inscription to this effect. The marble angel on top of the red granite column is an example of grave sculpture from the Victorian period, holding a trumpet to signify the Day of Judgement and finger pointing to the sky in the traditional pose.
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25. David Hawthorne (1833-1897)
| Born in England, he arrived at Port Fairy in 1852 and from there went to the Goldfields where he had both thumbs crushed in a mining accident. Came to Kerang in 1878 and established Hawthornes Department Store (refer to Walk/Drive of Historic Kerang,2).
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William David (1868-1871) Ethel (died 1887, aged 8 months) Edith (1881-1888) Stanley (died 1892, aged 12 months)
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26. Stillborn Babies
| In 1937 legislation directed that stillborn babies be buried in a mass grave, largely unmarked. This law repealed in 1953.
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27. Chinese Graves of Ah Chung (1841-1914)
and Tie Leung (1858-1924) | Most probably Gardeners.
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28. John Pettigrove (died 1886)
| Died of blood poisoning. Buried in Kerang but also has headstone in the Cohuna cemetery.
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29. William Mowat (1882-1892)
and Olive Mowat (1884-1888)
| Old wooden marker badly worn by time nd weather. Similar to those used in Old Kerang cemetery of which none survived.
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30. Mary Dash (1868-1877)
and Katie Dash (1876-1878)
| Roots of the peppercorn tree have grown around the headstone which is in very good condition, no doubt due to the protection provided from the tree.
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31. Susanna Peacock (died 1888)
| Had 16 children including one set of twin (14 and 15). After giving birth to the twins, she sent word to her husband who was at work and then rose to finish the washing.
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32. Mary Ann Henderson (1849-1883)
| Died following the birth of twins leaving behind a family of nine children.
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33. Ester Pippen (1832-1881),
Ellen Pippen (1866-1881)
and Mary Ready (1856-1881) | All drowned at Barr Creek.
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34. Alexander Duncan Fraser (died 1917)
and Mary Fraser (died 1920)
| Mary was housekeeper at Tragowel Station when Burke and Wills stayed overnight on their ill-fated expedition in 1860. John Wills gave Mary a copy of "Longfellows Peoms" as a momento.
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Other pages containing information about Kerangs History-
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