Agreement to preserve MacKillop’s grave site

Mary MacKillop was originally buried in the Catholic sectionat Gore Hill Cemetery in 1909 a dedicated Crown Reserve Cemetery. (AAP)

A license agreement between the NSW Governmentand the Catholic Cemeteries Crematoria has been signed to ensure the original burial site of Mary MacKillop is maintained in anticipation of future visiting pilgrims.

She was originally buried in the catholic section of the Gore Hill cemetery in Sydney in 1909 then five years later it was decided to move her remains to their present location at the Mary Mackillop
Memorial Chapel in North Sydney.

The NSW Minister for Lands said the canonisation of Mary MacKillop in Rome on October 17 will bring more visitors to the site and the agreement was to ensure that facilities are in place.

“We need to ensure that adequate facilities are in place to ensure security and other provisions to the public are met such as parking and lights,” Mr Tony Kelly said.

“The original grave site is an important historic site and this new agreement will enable the injection of funds to help maintain and preserve it and the surrounding cemetery for generations to come.”

The Catholic Cemeteries Crematoria (CCB) will undertake restoration and conservation works in consultation with the Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery Trust.

“There are always problems with maintaining security around a historic site and its no less here. We need to make the site accessible, both outside and inside,” said Richard D’Apice, chairman of the Catholic Cemeteries Crematoria.

Source: SBS