When you think of the most popular places in Sydney, nothing can be more popular than Rookwood Cemetery. It is so popular in fact that people are literally dying to get in there - bahahahahaha!
Seriously, it may not be the most popular but it could well be the most populous!
Rookwood Cemetery, or Rookwood Necropolis as it's officially known as, is about 17kms to the West of Sydney close to Olympic Park and Lidcombe.
It is the largest cemetery in the Southern Hemisphere and officially opened in 1868.
The picture you see above is Haslems Creek Cemetery Station and this was one of 4 stations at the Necropolis. The fifth station created for this line featured in a previous blog "Mortuary Station" in Regent St, adjacent to Central Station. The railway cars were used to transport coffins and mourners right up until 1948.
The cemetery was divided up into the various denominations as per the the 1861 census. 80 hectares which was the original size of the cemetery was divided into three sections Church of England, Catholics, and non-denominational. In 1879 more land was acquired and the site grew from 80 to over 300 hectares.
Originally associated with the area Halsem's Creek, the residents lobbied to have the name changed and so the neighbouring suburb of Rookwood was chosen. Soon the residents there were no longer happy with their town being named the same as the necropolis so their suburb was renamed after the two Mayors, Lidbury and Larcombe. The suburb of Lidcombe is now a major rail interchange for Western and Northern services and houses the Sprint Platform for shuttle services to Olympic Park.
The Rookwood Crematorium is the oldest established crematorium in Australia and the only one operating a cemetery section in the necropolis.
It is estimated that over one million people are buried in Rookwood cemetery which is why Australians colloquially refer to being very ill as being "Crook as Rookwood".
This is one place I wont recommend you visit, but I do encourage you to reflect on the history and significance that this part of Sydney holds, whenever you do visit to farewell a loved one. It is also prudent to reflect on the remarkable pioneers and ancestors that ended their journeys in this part of our city as well including the co-founder of Gowings, Premiers Joseph Cahill and John Lang, and street savvy eccentric Bea Miles.
J G S
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