HERITAGE LIVING - National Trust of Australia

Heritage Livingnational TRust of South Australiatrust news continuedBOOK REVIEWSue ScheiffersMoonta CemeteryA Walk through the lives ofthe Pioneers from “Australia’sLittle Cornwall”May 2009ABOVE: Moonta Cemetery. Photo Liz Coole.MOONTA CEMETERYLiz CooleVice Chairman, Moonta BranchDuring the years of 1861 to 1923 copper miningwas carried out in the Moonta Mines areaand unfortunately accidents happened, and mendied. During these years 156 miners died whileemployed by the Wallaroo & Moonta Mining &Smelting Company and 76 of these are buried inthe Moonta Cemetery. These men and boys, andsome were only boys, died leaving their familiesunprepared financially to put a headstone ormarker on the grave.Members of the National Trust SA, MoontaBranch, Resource Centre became more aware ofthe unmarked graves of the mining fatalities whileresearching the lives of the pioneers who areburied in the cemetery.Members of the Moonta Branch, applied for a$5,000 Community Grant from the District Councilof the Copper Coast and the application wassuccessful with the branch matching the amount.Work has started on the plaques which will havethe deceased’s name, date of death, age andunderneath the words “Mining Fatality”, made bylocal mason Paul Georecke. Six of the fatalitiesrest in graves where the position is unknown sotheir names and details will be placed on a signnear the front entrance of the cemetery.After one hundred and forty seven years since thefirst mining fatality at Moonta Mines these menand boys will be finally recognised and add to thehistory of the Heritage listed Moonta Cemetery.Compiled by Liz Coole,Jim Harbison OAM, JudithHayde and Rosemary Gray,volunteers of the NationalTrust of South Australia,Moonta Branch.Cost: RRP $15.00This 96 page book is the result of thepassion of Liz Coole for the history containedin the Moonta Cemetery. It leads the readerthrough this cemetery, one of only threewalled cemeteries in the State.It reflects a huge amount of research into theoccupants of approximately 100 graves. Thereare over 10,000 people buried in this cemetery.The book begins with a snapshot of thecemetery, a brief description of funeralpractice of yesteryear and some interestingextracts from the local newspaper, and thengoes on to describe the lives and contributionthat these families made to the Moontacommunity.Interspersed throughout the book are copiesof accounts, receipts and various documentswhich also give life to the people interred inthe cemetery.This is an interesting little book which giveslife to the people and reflects epidemics,hardship and mining catastrophes in this quiteremote Yorke Peninsula town. Included is thestory of Thomas Woolcock, the victim of theonly female hanged in South Australia in 1873.The book is available from the Moonta Branchof the National Trust and is recommendedfor all visitors contemplating a self guidedwander through the Moonta Cemetery.ABOVE: Moonta Cemetery book front cover.page 7