Melbourne General Cemetery


The Melbourne General Cemetery is a large necropolis located north of the city of Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton North.
The cemetery is notably the resting place of four Prime Ministers of Australia, more than any other necropolis within Australia. Former Prime Minister Harold Holt's headstone is a memorial, as his remains have never been discovered.

History

The cemetery was established in 1852 and opened on 1 June 1853, and the Old Melbourne Cemetery was closed the next year.
The grounds feature several heritage buildings, many in bluestone, including a couple of chapels and a number of cast iron pavilions. The gatehouses are particularly notable.

Notable interments

Prime Ministers Garden

Five Prime Ministers of Australia are memorialised at Melbourne General Cemetery. Three are interred in the cemetery's 'Prime Ministers Garden': Sir Robert Menzies, Sir John Gorton, and Malcolm Fraser. Harold Holt's is a memorial, as his body was never recovered after he disappeared at sea. Dame Zara is buried at Sorrento Cemetery, the closest burial ground to where Holt disappeared.
James Scullin is buried in the Catholic section of the cemetery.

State Premiers and Governors

There are eight Premiers of Victoria buried at Melbourne General Cemetery, more than any other necropolis around the state. Premiers George Elmslie, James Francis, Duncan Gillies, Richard Heales, William Nicholson, Sir John O'Shanassy, Sir James Patterson, and James Service. Sir Robert Menzies served as Deputy Premier of Victoria between 1932 and 1934.
The first Premier of Tasmania is interred at Melbourne General Cemetery, William Champ.
There is one Governor of Victoria, Sir Charles Hotham, and one Governor-General of Australia, Sir Isaac Isaacs, buried at Melbourne General Cemetery.

War graves

The cemetery contains the war graves of 91 Commonwealth service personnel, more than 30 from World War I and more than 50 from World War II.