Boroondara General Cemetery

Architect: Albert Purchas, 1850s

City of Boroondara | B07

Building Description

With the first burial dating back to 1859, the Boroondara Cemetery is one of Victoria’s oldest graveyards and an important record of Victorian life from the 1850s. The cemetery is the final resting place for a number of notable people in Australia’s history: Victoria’s first permanent settler and wool pioneer, Edward Henty and his family; landscape painter, Louis Buvelot; artist, Charles Nuttall; businessman and politician, John Halfey; publishing icon and owner of The Age, David Syme; and stage actress, Nellie Stewart. Architect Albert Purchas, who also designed the Melbourne General Cemetery, is also buried here.

Significant features throughout the grounds include the gatehouse and clocktower designed by Charles Vickers (for the original 1860s cottage) and Albert Purchas, along with a number of significant monuments. Designed in the tradition of the Victorian garden cemetery, the cemetery is noted for its picturesque landscape design, decorative brick perimeter fence, curved pathways, and mature exotic plantings.

What's On

View a sample of historic records from the Trust archives and significant furniture, photos and memorabilia, dating back to the first burial. Join the tour of significant graves, monuments and epitaphs, or of the gardens, or just take the family on a walk of discovery at your own pace. Join the Guided Garden Tour at 11am, General Tour at 12pm or Significant Graves and Monuments Tour 1pm and 2pm. Self-Guided maps provided at office.

Location