Welcome to our self-guided walking tour of Melbourne General Cemetery, proudly situated on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge the deep connection to country that we strive to care for and curate on behalf of community.
Melbourne General Cemetery was opened in 1853 and is regarded as one of Australia’s most important cemeteries. The cemetery was established as the city grew and demand for cemetery space increased. In 1904 the cemetery was closed for burials but reopened in 1927. In 1933 the site was extended by 2.5 hectares, or 6 acres, increasing the total space to 43 hectares (106 acres). Currently Melbourne General Cemetery includes four mausoleums as well as limited burial space.
About the tour
This tour provides a brief insight to the history of cemetery design through notable monuments and allows you to discover our innovative approach to horticultural maintenance, Project Cultivate.
The tour is designed to be completed at your own pace. The information is available as an audio recording or in text, and each stop begins with the information for the stop followed by directions to the next location. Some directions include multiple options, either for accessibility or if you would like to take the tour over multiple visits.
Melbourne General Cemetery is a working cemetery, so please be respectful to anyone you may encounter as well as the monuments and stories we will explore together. You will mainly be navigating the site by road, so keep an eye and ear out for any vehicles.
Start of tour
You start this tour at the entrance gates off College Crescent. Begin by walking up Entrance Avenue, away from the gates, and turn right onto the pathway next to the Prime Ministers Memorial Garden. Walk east between the rose beds, until you reach the second entrance to the garden. There are more than 35,000 roses across Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust sites. The first stop, Anne McDonald’s plaque, is at the end of the rose bed on your right.
