| Castlereagh, NSW | Castlereagh, NSW |
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Castlereagh Cemetery is situated on the northern corner of Church Lane and Wilchard Road at Castlereagh. The only area to show that people are buried there is the two acres classed as the Anglican section of the original forty acre site put aside for the Castlereagh Cemetery . Originally Governor Macquarie decreed that every cemetery would be enclosed by a post and rail fence (a gate has recently been added to this). The cemetery is all that is left of the original five towns that Governor Macquarie laid out in 1810. The Nepean River Flats at Birds Eye Corner were unofficially settled by families which included the Russells, Randalls, Ropes, Colless', Fields, Collits', Fredericks, Morns, Lees, Lewis' and McCarthys, around the 1800 many of these properties were ratified by grants by Governor King between 1803 and 1806. There appears to be no official plan of the cemetery as members of the “Friends of Castlereagh” learned when they met an elderly man visiting the cemetery. He was Mr Albert Willett who said that his grandfather was the Grave Digger. When asked if the plan existed he said “grandfather used to dig a hole, if he struck a coffin he would fill it in and move to the next one”. There is believed to be over 300 graves on the site but only about 80 are visible. This includes the graves of our original ancestors that first came to Australia , Edward and Elizabeth Field (nee Mitchell). In April 1993 a group of people, descendants of those buried in the cemetery decided to form the"Friends of Castlereagh Cemetery". It is intended to restore the surviving headstones, plant native shrubs and clean up the surrounds to preserve the cemetery. I am a member of this group and we meet on the last Sunday of each month around 10 am , excluding December, January and February as it is too hot. We finish with a picnic lunch around 12 noon and we have some great discussions about our family tree. Anyone wishing to join us will be most welcome. Please note there are NO toilets or water facilities available......Dorothy Cefarin GPS Location: S 33º 42.108, E 150º 41.742
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