Why photograph Cemeteries????
We are losing cemetery headstones at an alarming rate from weathering, deterioration and old age, lack of maintenance, spreading mould, reclaiming of gravesites and most distressing of all, vandalism.
This is why we are committed to preserving this heritage for future generations.
By photographing the gravestones of these ancestors, we are actively recording family history
not only for those researching now, but those in the future.
We do this work because we believe that the legacy of every person deserves to be remembered in photographic form, and that the heritage of the Pioneers of the State of South Australia should be kept for preservation
by the National Library and for future generations.
Many headstones become unreadable or damaged well before the lease expiry date.
Our Story.........
We have continually travelled about the state of South Australia photographing complete cemeteries for the benefit of the genealogy enthusiast.
With 541 cemeteries already photographed and over 235,000 photos, this is one of the largest collections available to the public.
We have made an effort to visit as many cemeteries as possible, however as my husband still works, we are limited to weekends and our 'annual holidays'. It then takes many, many hours looking at the photos to rename them by surnames. My aim in 2009 is to photograph at least one cemetery per week - something that we more than achieved in 2008! Up till October we have photographed 139 cemeteries this year - with more to come.
In 2005, when we began our 'little project', it became apparent that there is a need for photos to be made available to those who are unable to travel to city, country and remote destinations.
By making available the District CD's to both the State and National Libraries, the headstones will now be a 'living memory' and not ravaged by the sands of time and lost to 'the enthusiast' of the future.
In the 2007/08 financial year we travelled over 11,500 klms and in the 2008/2009 year 10,000 klms, specifically to photograph cemeteries. All proceeds from sales go towards the costs associated with travel, however we still incur losses in the thousands of dollars.
I wish everyone well with their research,
Many thanks,
Faithe
Our 2009 'Wish List' - Salisbury District (photographing completed)), Clare District (photographing completed), Barossa District (photographing completed), Whyalla District, Mount Gambier District (5 cemeteries photographed) and to complete the South East of the State with Wattle Range District completed and now available and Grant District completed and now available. The Individual cemeteries of Cheltenham (photographing complete but sadly photogaphs are not available to the public via this website as the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority have denied permission for publication) and Two Wells completed and now available are also beckoning to be done. As you can imagine this will require a lot of travel and funds - so we will see how we go! Bonus district of Wakefield photographing completed!!!
Our recent projects include
We will be away from 22nd October to Mid November.
Having a holiday - no cemeteries after Mount Gambier!!!!
7th November - still on holidays but have added 4,000 names to Mount Gambier Carinya Gardens Cemetery page. Cemeteries of Stuan Lone Graves, Burnside (nr Naracoorte, Mt. Burr Lone Graves and Millicent Old Cemetery are alll now available.
27th October - couldn't resist!!!! Portland North Cemetery photographed in Victoria - a very old and interesting cemetery with list of all buried there on the board (and husband actually suggested doing it!!!)
22-25th October - Cemeteries of Burnside (near Naracoorte), Struan Lone Graves, Mt. Burr Lone Graves and Mount Gambier Lake Terrace Cemetery and Mount Gambier Carinya Gardens have all been photographed.
South East Family History Group presentation went extremely well and felt very welcome by all the members. Had a radio interview on ABC South East which also was very successful.
22nd October - Have been invited to be Guest Speaker at the South East Family History Group at Millicent. Have also been asked to talk on ABC Radio South East on Friday morning. We will be completing Mount Gambier Cemeteries whilst we are there.
21st October - another 1,000 names added to Cheltenham Cemetery. Downloadable indexes for Yorke Peninsula Local History Books are now available.
20th October - downloadable indexes for Mid North & Northern Areas local History Book Section completed.
19th October - 21 downloadable indexes for local history books just completed - mostly in Adelaide Metro & Adelaide Hills sections.
12th October - another 1,000 names added to the Cheltenham Cemetery site.
11th October - a further 1,000 names added to the Cheltenham Cemetery site.
9th October - another 1,000 names added to the Cheltenham Cemetery site. Click here for details
4th October - Local History Book Section - Downloadable Indexes are now available for the Eyre Peninsula books.
1st October - Port Germein Cemetery and Baroota Cemetery now available thanks to Don Barnett.
30th September - Angle Vale Ebenezer Methodist (now available), Angle Vale Carclew Primitive Methodist (now available), Hillbank Little Para Wesleyan (now available), Penfield Sturton Primitive Methodist Jeffries Family (now available), North Adelaide Quakers Society of Friends (now available), Adelaide St. John's Anglican Church (now available) and The Monastery Parish of St. Paul's of the Cross at Glen Osmond cemteries were all photographed today and will be available soon. Penfield Zoar Bible Christian Cemetery was also commenced but came across two large brown snakes - I HATE SNAKES !!!!! - so will return to complete when the weather is cooler and they are gone!!!.
26th September - Hindmarsh Island Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery, Victor Harbour St. Augustine's Anglican Columbarium and Normanville Lone Grave photographed. All available now!
24th September - Tumbarumba Cemetery (NSW) added to the site.
22nd September - The Victorian and New South Wales Cemeteries I have photographed now have their own pages with lists of names of those buried there. The names will appear in the search engine over the next week or so. The Cemeteries are Bannerton, Benalla War Cemetery, Boinka, Bonnie Doon, Cowangie, Shepparton War Cemetery, Tutye & Tutye Lone Grave, Bathurst War Cemetery, Bogolong, Brunswick Heads Pioneer Memorial Graves, Coffs Harbour War Cemetery, Cootamundra War, Cowra Japaneses War, Cowra Australian War, Glen Innes War, Hay Lone Grave, Hay War, Narromine War, Rosewood, Tamworth War, Tenterfield War & Tomingley Pioneer Cemeteries.
22nd September - I have just added 237 headstone names of War Graves in the Centennial Park General Cemetery that are now availalbe for $1 each. Click here to go to page.
19th September - Guest Speaker at the Fleurieu Peninsula Family History Group. Approximately 60 people attended. Presented a slide show and talked about going to cemeteries, interesting cemeteries, headstones and our website. Received many positive comments. Many thanks to them for asking me to attend.
19th September - New District Cd's now availalbe for Barossa Valley District $199.00, Clare & Gilbert Valleys District $199.00, Salisbury District $110.00 and Wakefield District $99.00 save up to 50% and more by purchasing the District CD.
18th September - Salisbury Memorial Park photos have all been renamed. Full list available on page and CD available for sale.
16th September - We have just photographed our 500th cemetery/burial place in South Australia. Flinders Medical Centre Riverbank Memorial Garden now available!
13th September - Returned to the Barossa District to complete. Cemeteries of Eden Valley,Eden Valley St. Petri Lutheran, Mount Crawford,and in addition Birdwood Old Cemetery on Cromer Road all now available! were photographed.
2nd September - A guestbook page has just been added - please feel free to leave comments about our site to share with others. Let us know things like -if you are a regular user and if you found the site easy to navigate. Was it helpful? Is there something more you would like added at a latter stage?
30th August - Cemeteries of Alma Plains South, Alma Plains Congregational/General Cemetery, Owen, Barabba, Hamley Bridge, Pinkerton Plains/Hamley Bridge St. Benedicts, Stockport, Riverton Finnis Point and Magdala,
All available now!
29th August - Back to the Clare/Gilbert Valley District and photographed the following - Farrell Flat,Black Springs,Tothill Creek,Tothill Creek Anglican, Marrabel Springfield Bible Christian,Marrabel St. Agnes Catholic,Marrabel Belvidere St Philip Anglican,Saddleworth Private Townsend,Saddleworth General, Saddleworth St. Stephen's Catholic,and Old Anglican Saddleworth. All available now!
26th August - Local History Book section updated.
23rd August - Wattle Range District CD now available
15-17th August - Travelling on my own while my hubby was interstate - Clare district photographing was commenced with 36 cemeteries being completed - all now available.
Angle Grove Lutheran, Auburn, Blyth, Bungaree St. Michael's Anglican, Clare General Cemetery, Clare White Hut Wesleyan, Clare Spring Farm Wesleyan, Clare St. Barnabas Anglican, Clare St. Michael's Catholic, Clare White Hut Gaelic, Hamilton Methodist, Hoyleton/Hoyle Plains, Kybunga, Leasingham Upper Skilly, Mintaro, Mintaro Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, Navan Catholic, Penwortham Methodist,Penwortham St. Mark's Anglican, Peters Hill Ettrick United Presbyterian, Peters Hill Huppatz Lutheran, Peters Hill Old Lutheran, Peters Hill St. Peter's Lutheran, Rhynie Cemetery, Riverton General, Riverton Old Pioneer, Sevenhill St. Aloyisus Catholic, Sevenhill St. Aloyisus Catholic Church Crypt, Stanley Flat Methodist, Undalya St. Patrick's Catholic, Waterloo Carlsruhe Lutheran, Waterloo Pancharpoo Primitive Methodist , Waterloo Primitive Methodist, Watervale, and Woolshed Flat Wesleyan.
9th August - Salisbury Memorial Park photographing completed.
26th July - Millicent cemetery photographed - now available..
26th July - Port MacDonnell & Port MacDonnell Historic (what a find this one was!!), Mount Gambier St. Martin's Lutheran Church , Mount Gambier Gaol, Mount Gambier Meischel Park, Mount Gambier Old Pioneer and Mount Gambier Anglican Church photographed and all now available .
25th July - Kalangadoo Cemetery, Tantanoola Cemetery, Furner Cemetery, Rendlesham Cemetery and Beachport Cemetery photographed and are all now available.
24th July - Hynam Cemetery, Struan Station Cemetery, Penola Old Cemetery, Penola New Cemetery - downloadable list of burials in Historic section Penola Cluny Private Cemetery, all photographed and are now availalbe.
8th July -Salisbury Memorial Park photographing commenced. Approximately 85% completed and Salisbury Memorial Park Mausoleum of the Holy Family. However I have been contacted by the Mausoleum and photographs of this area will not be available until approved by same.
7th July - Photographed Enfield Pioneer Cemetery,Salisbury St. Augustine's Catholic, Salisbury St John's Anglican, Salisbury Methodist and Burton Primitive Methodist Cemetery. All are now available.
6th July - Gawler Old downloadable burial details available and Gawler St. George's Anglican Cemetery both photographed by Beth Page are now available. Again her valued assistance is greatly appreciated.
4th July - Angaston Baptist Chapel (relocated headstones) added to site. These headstones are now located in the Angaston Cemetery.
30th June - Burial register for unmarked graves in Light Pass Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery available as a downloadable file.
28th June - 3,800 photos taken in Angaston, Krondorf Lutheran, Light Pass Immanuel Lutheran, Light Pass Strait Gate Lutheran, Moculta Gnadenberg Zion Lutheran, Moculta Holy Cross Lutheran and Nuriootpa all now available.
11th June - Copper Coast District CD now available $99.00 contains cemeteries of Greens Plains West, Kadina, Moonta, Wallaroo & Wallaroo Pioneer Cemeteries.
6th June - Keilli & Port Broughton Cemetery burial registers added as downloadable files.
5th June - Yankalilla District CD now availble - contains 10 cemeteries in the Yankalilla District $50
30th May and we travelled to the Eudunda area and photographed the following Eudunda, Tarnma, Julia Lutheran, Emmaus, Point Pass Immanuel, Point Pass St. Peters, Robertstown Zion & Robertstown St. John, and Australian Plains (all which are now available).
29th May 2009 Downloadable files for the 'Burial Registers' of Angaston First Cemetery, Beverley Primitive Methodist Cemetery (now cleared), Lowbank St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Lyndoch Hoffnungsthal Lutheran Cemetry, St. Philip & St. James Anglican Cemetery Noarlunga, Robe Cemetery and Walkerville Methodist Cemetery all added to site. Whitwarta Cemetery Unmarked Burials plaque available for downloading.
Centennial Park General Cemetery - I can now provide for individual request for photos within this cemetery. Now available for $2.50 per photo. I am able to travel to this cemetery each Friday to take photos for people. Click Here for futher details
23-25th May and Kadina, Moonta (both availble now) Cemeteries were photographed. Bonus cemeteries of Mallala Feltwell (general), Beaufort, Calomba Shannon Methodist, Dublin, Mallala Catholic Earl Rd, Mallala RAAF and Bethesda Bible Christian Two Wells - were photographed on the way home to complete the district of Mallala. Mallala District Cemeteries disk is now available.
Good Friday and photographing Cheltenham Cemetery was commenced, with 4,680 photos taken. With a further 9 visits to the cemetery photographing is now complete. Over 29,100 photos have been taken. These photos sadly are no longer available for purchase via this website due to permission required by Adelaide Cemeteries Authority, which has not been granted.
Easter Saturday we photographed Balaklava, Whitwarta, Dalkey Lutheran, Grace Plains Bible Christian/Methodist & Two Wells. All are available for purchase now.
Mindarie Cemetery - photos kindly donated by Marc Bennier - cemetery contains 3 burials
Willaston Cemetery photos have been kindly donated by 'Beth'. With over 4,700 photos this was a huge effort on her behalf and her time and dedication to completing this cemetery is greatly appreciated.
Australia Day Weekend we have photographed Lyndoch, Williamstown, Rowland Flat, Tanunda Langmiel Lutheran, Tanunda Bethany New Lutheran, Tanunda St. John's Lutheran, Tanunda Tabor Lutheran old and new cemeteries. All these cemeteries are now available.
Mid January we have photographed and the following are now availabe -
Concordia, Lyndoch Hoffnungsthal Lutheran, Lyndoch St. Jacobi Lutheran, Rosedale Trinity Lutheran and Rosenthal Pioneer (also known as Old Dohse Cemetery.)
North Road Anglican Cemetery is now completed with over 12,100 photos. Available for purchase!!
We put in a good 8 hour day on New Years Day taking about 5,500 photos!
Meadows Wesleyan Cemetery (now closed) was photographed and added Christmas Eve 2008.
Eyre Peninsula - Port Lincoln, Cleve, Franklin Harbour, Lower Eyre and Tumby Bay districts were completed in October 2008 and together with Streaky Bay, Elliston, Le Hunte and Kimba districts completed in August, they are now all available.
Only Ceduna and Whyalla Districts remain to be photographed at a latter date.
Dudley Park Cemetery Over 10,500 headstones photos now availble. Completed December 2008.