Location
Now located just across the road to the east from the Golf View Motor Inn, approx 2.5km from the CBD in the border city of Albury. There are 2 cemeteries in close proximity split by Waugh Road. Heading north The Pioneer Cemetery is to the west and left and to the right and east, is the Albury General or Waugh Road Cemetery.
Note: Ensure you check site maps for your loved ones before heading out and getting lost in the wrong cemetery.
History
In the very early days of Albury’s settlement, there was an Aboriginal burial ground in South Albury. It was known as The Sandhills and was on the site of Waite’s Park, bounded by Olive, David, Ebden and Hovell Streets. As the first European settlers died, they too were interred in the same place.
Very quickly, this arrangement proved unsatisfactory and in 1849 Townsend set aside land for a new cemetery to the north of the town. But nobody bothered much about the new site. However, during the 1850s, with Albury growing, sand was removed from the original cemetery for building works. Human remains were scattered about and a great furore erupted when a bone was found in the sand being used for paving outside a Dean Street shop.
In 1862, the magistrate, Captain Brownrigg, officially ordered the re-interment of all bones from the old site and the David Street cemetery was gazetted in 1867.
The Pioneer Cemetery (as it is now known) was laid out in a pattern of four sections, along religious lines – the major religions having the largest lots. Within those larger lots, space was set aside for smaller groups, including Chinese and Unsectarian, Jewish residents and Seventh-Day Adventists.
Prior to 1934, the RSL identified the graves of World War I ex-servicemen. They found 23 not being tended, so cleared the grass around those and arranged for each grave to have a simple concrete border and headstone, with a rising sun. On Anzac Day that year, 500 people gathered for a special service. Each grave was covered with an Australian or Union Jack flag. On a signal from a bugle, a Boy Scout removed the flag and placed the laurel wreath of peace on each
grave. Historical Society stalwart, the late Ron Braddy was one of those Boy Scouts.
In general cemeteries, ex-servicemen’s graves are often signified by a rising sun or a laurel wreath plaque placed on the gravestone. Today, the RSL facilitates the placing of these emblems through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
AlburyCity took over operating the cemetery in 1951.
Notable Figures
A walk through the Pioneer Cemetery will provide an insight into those early settlers who made Albury what it is today, including James Fallon (/admin/cemeteries/4580/%20https:/www.findagrave.com/memorial/148806949/james-thomas-fallon) the first Mayor of Albury.
Captain Albert Chalmers-Borella VC. (/explore/people/255576)
Sergeant Charles George Bishop DCM, MM and Bar (/explore/people/183954)
Private William Nolan MM (/explore/people/279323)
Bombardier Norman Henry Ogilvie DCM (/explore/people/308246)
Private James Harold Stewart MM & Bar (/explore/people/372653)
