South Head General Cemetery history

European exploration into the coastal region of eastern Sydney began in 1790, when a signal station was established at South Head. A road from Sydney to South Head was built in 1811, and in 1816 a lighthouse was constructed at the signal station. The road became known as Old South Head Road when New South Head Road was built in the 1830s.

Between 1792 and June 1807 the Lookout Post signalled the arrival of the first ships to come to Port Jackson from the United States of America, Spain, France and Russia.

In 1841 the Reverend Lancelot Threlkeld became the congregationalist minister at South Head, and requested the Governor make a land grant for a cemetery. The parish at that time consisted mainly of the fishing village of Watsons Bay.

South Head map 3 The Sydney Morning Herald noted on 9 September 1845: 'His Excellency the Governor has been pleased…to grant one acre of land for the purpose of a general cemetery for the interment of the dead, without any restrictions as to the religious persuasion of the deceased.'

The original land grant of 1 acre was formalised in 1872. Just under an acre was granted in 1890, and the final area of a little over 2 acres was granted in 1902.

However there is no evidence of any burials in the cemetery before 1868, when the burial occurred on 27 February of Major Lee, a resident of Vaucluse. Some earlier deaths were commemorated on later monuments, such as James Green, captain of the 'Dunbar' which was wrecked off South Head in 1857. He is named on the gravestone of his brother Malcolm who died in 1904.

In addition a small number of earlier graves were moved to South Head General Cemetery from the Devonshire Street Cemetery in 1901 at the time of the construction of Central Railway Station.

Sir Walter Davidson 1The first funeral held at South Head for a public figure was that of Margaret, wife of former premier  Sir John Robertson, on 8 August 1889.

After the death in office of New South Wales Governor, Sir Walter Davidson, he was buried in South Head General Cemetery on 18 September 1923. Two years later, the Governor's remains were moved to the central avenue and a large Celtic cross monument was erected by public subscription.

This seems to have spurred the Trustees to undertake improvements, including the perimeter wall and gates.

Waverley Council was appointed sole trustee and cemetery operator on 17 October 1941.