Australia's oldest colonial cemetery - Parramatta's neglected heritage

St John's Cemetery in Parramatta is the oldest colonial cemetery in Australia. It is the resting place for many First Fleeters and significant figures in the early penal colony. Like Parramatta's other heritage sites, it is little known and little visited,
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Back in 2020, Parramatta heritage received lots of attention with talk of museum projects and heritage demolitions. Meanwhile, Australia's oldest European cemetery, the burial ground of major figures in the early New South Wales penal colony, was left neglected, right by Parramatta's booming CBD. Parramatta is Australia's heritage poor relation. It has some of Australia's most important historical sites. Most of which are unknown even to Sydney residents.
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Check out our blog on Parramatta's neglected heritage here.
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[@stephenslater1769]

I have lived in the Parramatta area all of my 50+ years. This is just down thee street from where I live and wonder why it's not getting the attention it deserves. I have noticed that on occasions people on weekend detention are there cleaning it up by mowing the lawns and fixing the edges but that is infrequent. Why is Parramatta City Council not doing more to the upkeep of this historical site?

[@davannaleah]

I have an ancestor there too. As far as I can work out, he was the first direct ancestor of mine to arrive in Australia more than 222 years ago. George Mealmaker was actually the first superintendent of the Womens Factory, originally located where Prince Alfred Square now resides. Thanks for your video. I often fear, with the value of land in Parramatta, forgetting places like this makes them more vulnerable to them ultimately disappearing, going unnoticed or uncaring by the people, taken by the greedy developers and corrupt politicians.

[@didi0100]

Visited this cemetery in the 60s while at Arthuur Phillip high . It was in poor condition even then with some covers damaged and dislodged.

[@Simonewhitesim-1music]

Myself an American living right in Parramatta for nearly 15 years. I visit most of these places. I want to know the place I am calling home. So I am watching this to hear more. Plus made a good friend that's been here all his 81 years of life. Great man. Keep doing these Videos. Cheers

[@ucviet1]

Nice vlog..... I really don't know what to say... Funding?... No votes here... My coffee shop buddy is David Hill.. who is never short of word.. raconteured me a few first fleet stories over the years...heritage just doesn't seem important in multicultural Sydney... David's books are great reading in my opinion.. Best wishes

[@David-ij2hs]

i mowered that grave yard to pay off my fines and now its over ground very sad to see

[@traceysteer3597]

My ancestors of John Schofield and Bridget Harley they are buried there

[@ROCLIFER]

Fascinating look at what is happening more frequently all over. In the US, famous civil war battlefields are also under threat by development. Here’s to protecting and conserving these precious areas.

[@slavicamendoza2120]

That’s so mean to develop over people’s resting place.

[@gabrielleyalcinkaya7017]

That cemetery has been run down since I can remember. We played hide and seek there in the early 80s. What I wouldn't give to go back to Parra. From what I'm told I wouldn't recognize it today. My Family history started the 1853.

[@kerrykelaher2607]

" james squire is buried in a parramatta cemetry !" ( australia s 1st beer )

[@DavidPola1961]

The editor of the Sydney Gazette,George Howe was scathing of Marsden and his brutal treatment of convicts including women, many times he tried to have him silenced

[@tginstant6664]

Have always enjoyed your videos from Vietnam to Australia.Glad your health has improved and looking forward to more of your work, thank you.

[@rustycompasstravel]

Thanks @TG Instant

[@nothinyaseehere9449]

Any chance you can take a wipper snipper n clear around the graves? It’d take half an hour n look really nice after.. if you do it someone might see n do it next time.. cheers for the great history lesson on early Australia

[@rustycompasstravel]

Good idea!

[@nothinyaseehere9449]

@@rustycompasstravel we have this mentality of that’s not mine or I don’t know them.. it’s time we started to share again. I lost both my legs 4 years ago in a work accident and found a reason to live. It’s about we went back to being a role model for young people. To lead by example. I see how people pay attention to me but I’m still saying the same as before my accident. Those older generations buried in that yard are from a time when they helped each other. They built this nation it’s Upto us to look after them in death. Each generation needs to respect the the ones before and after.. good onya mate enjoy ya day 👍🇦🇺

[@crazycomet8635]

Only protestant early settlers. Catholics, Jews, Muslims were all buried at the cemetery at the start of Pennant Hills Rd

[@putramatebean2606]

Thanks a Lot for this such nice Video in increasing my History ability.May God Bless those who were burried here.

[@grahamwood156]

I too walked past this grave yard all the time and wondered why it was so neglected . I thought it was marked for development it’s just to tempting.

[@boristherock8279]

It looks like it has been purposefully planted with beautiful native grasses like Themeda triandra and Microlaena stipoides. It hints at the aboriginal landscape that these early settlers were buried in.

[@trevorpowis3577]

Hey Mark. I guess I speak for all your friends and admirers (me being one) I would like to wish you, your family including our lovely cafe staff in Sai Gon a great Xmas and a spectacular new year. Health and love to all. Trev Powis Cohuna Victoria Australia

[@rustycompasstravel]

Thanks Trevor. Appreciate that message very much. Sure been a crazy year. Hope it's been OK for you. Best wishes for Xmas and 2021!

[@FionaEm]

How disgraceful that this piece of colonial history has been so roundly neglected by the authorities. It shouldn't be left to volunteers.

[@sharongoodsell9341]

Weekend detection! Community Service Excellent idea

[@Thespiansewist]

I don’t live in Sydney but if I did I would get a lawnmower going at least

[@abiray4]

I'd HIGHLY ENCOURAGE people to take a walking audio tour around Parra! I forget what app we used unfortunately. I went to visit a friend this year and we had a wonderful time learning about their neighborhood and the tour took us all over the place! So many fun little tidbits!

[@glenntownsend9503]

I also have family buried there and whilst I enjoyed your video, your repeated assertion that the cemetery is forgotten and neglected points to an alterior message. I too have been there a number of times and haven't seen anyone else. But that derides the work being done behind the scenes by the 'dedicated' members of the historical association in researching and publishing about the cemetery. Copious amounts of information about the cemetery can be found online - webpage, Facebook etc. Several academics have also been publishing their work online as well. I'm not sure if you spoke to anyone at the association about the maintenance of the property but you would have been told that the regular maintenance is done by a team doing weekend detention from one of the local gaols. They haven't been allowed to do any work since the beginning of Covid two years ago, hence the overgrown state of the place. Forgotten and neglected it is not!

[@rustycompasstravel]

Hi Glenn. Thanks for the comment and apologies if volunteers were concerned by my observations. I am aware of work carried out by volunteers and academics and should have referenced that work. I guess the lack of "official" - local and state interest was what I was referring to. I have a similar sense at the Female Factory - where volunteers are also active and get a lot done. On a related note, I'm watching with interest the likely different NSW government approach taking shape between Callan Park and the Female Factory. In the messy metrics of heritage value - there is probably no comparison between the two sites - a more cautious and consultative, non-commercial approach may prevail at CP. The commercialisation of the even more precious FF site seems locked in.

[@MrSlitskirts]

@@rustycompasstravel Hi, great clip and subject and you both good points. Cemeteries can be a kind of historical museum in their own right in addition to their main purpose. Ref Callan Park, I was there when the Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) part of the University of Sydney (a specific Visual Arts Campus) was there, for me it was 2016-2018 whilst doing my Master of Moving Image (MMI). I also did a tour with the Volunteer group, not only the main oldest part but the whole site and different buildings. Sadly in my opinion they moved the SCA back to the main Camperdown-Darlington Campus. I've always though that regular use of Callan Park (Mental Hospital) even if it's for the SCA kept iy 'alive'. But as soon as the SCA moved out no one maintains it, etc. Kind regards.

[@vickimcmillan3705]

So sad.. where are all the Historical Society's.. I thought they took on this type of thing .. maybe next time I'm in Sydney I can visit with my push mower and whipper snipper 🙏🌿

[@David-ij2hs]

give me a lawn momer and a whipper snipper i come there and give it a face left save our history

[@adrianahalmi3337]

I love cemeteries, it’s like museums!!! I visited looots of cemeteries in Australia, but this one really looks bad… shame on council and shame on Australian politicians to step over Australia’s history… so sad…

[@kimgee4821]

I thought they locked the gate

[@judithmargret5972]

Maybe the land is wanted for development, so it's been left to rot. Fleet Street should be restored for history as well as many other places in Parramatta. I grew up in Granville, and Parramatta and Sydney were our go to places when I was young, and I have many fond memories of both areas.

[@dougbadcock7206]

shame australia

[@haroldmclean3755]

I never knew this Graveyard existed 👍 Very interesting indeed

[@BethandPaultravel]

Great video....very sad that this cemetery is not maintained and preserved as it should be. We have the same problem in Brisbane - we live near the South Brisbane Cemetery, which is also neglected. Maybe the responsibility (and expense) should be taken off the local governments and given to the State or Federal Gov to maintain? PS: I went to a Catholic school and learnt about Rev Marsden too 🤗

[@rustycompasstravel]

Thanks Beth and Paul!

[@shondra6]

I would love to find my ancestor who is resting here. His grave is marked unknown on find a grave. So I’m wondering how I can take this further. Thanks for sharing this video

[@rustycompasstravel]

Thanks Sandra - Louise

[@christineconroy6409]

I will definitely take the time to visit now.

[@christineconroy6409]

There is another cemetery in Parramatta near the old Gaol, you would not even know it was there, the headstones are flat and there are a lot of convicts beriud there.

[@rustycompasstravel]

Yes Christine. That's St Patrick's - the Catholic Cemetery. Some very old graves there too.

[@slavicamendoza2120]

Thank you for telling us

[@powersthatthinktheybe]

I am a descendent of the Mobbs family Orchardists who then went on to many other businesses Still many memories of the family around many local districts Marsden then went on to terrorise New Zealand lest we forget

[@dominicgreen7532]

I’ve got a lot of relatives in here

[@BL-db6xt]

is the background music of your own? Lol

[@sillyoldbastard3280]

Took my young daughter out there about about 15 years ago. A treasure we need to look after. A side note... her 4xGGrandmother was buried up the road at St Patricks in 1850.

[@madmad7590]

I’ve been told by so many members of my family that I have an ancestor in there, they were on the first fleet

[@madmad7590]

Since then I’ve been doing the Research and discovered that I’m related to two people who are berried there, Samuel & Ann James

[@madmad7590]

Update. I visited James and Ann two weeks ago Ann’s dad is in the cemetery too somewhere

[@mikedemike5393]

WHERE WAS THE CRUEL MAN MARSDEN buried..I had 4 convict ancestors on 2nd fleet...infamous Neptube known as hellship transport..1st fleet was club med compared.

[@stephenslater1769]

Does anybody know if there is a record of who is buried here?? Doing my compilation of my family history and tree I have ancestors transported as convicts in the 1780's and 1790's but i cannot find where they have been buried. I have found snippets of information that there are many unmarked burial sites here but cannot find anything listing who has been buried here.

[@rustycompasstravel]

Yes - there is a book of records. You can find stuff on the web as well. The people mentioned in the video are probably the biggest names. But there are lots of other people who were prominent in early penal colony life.

[@christineconroy6409]

I have always meant to visit that cemetery.

[@sharongoodsell9341]

One peice of land they cant just take

[@nathieboy1987]

Reverend Samuel Marsden is my 5x great grandfather. Australian history has not remembered him too kindly, however he is remembered more favourably in New Zealand. I think, to an extent, the legend of Rev. Marsden has been embellished and I believe some historians are reviewing and reconsidering the negativity surrounding his reputation.

[@Melbournelost66]

How do we work to bring this to notice and have the place returned to top condition.? We should fight to have it fixed up!

[@rustycompasstravel]

Yes. There's lots of heritage work to do in Parramatta... It slowly seems to be getting the attention it deserves.

[@Melbournelost66]

@@rustycompasstravel That’s encouraging