Bellbrae Cemetery Trust | Interest
Bellbrae Cemetery Trust
Phone: +61 409 212 479
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25.01.2022 To all of our wonderful guests who are thinking of visiting tomorrow at History House, we are very sorry, but due to Sunday being Fathers Day we are not open for viewing but will re-open on Sunday 8th September, 2-4.
23.01.2022 Good morning Trustees and those who are interested in the Bellbrae Cemetery. Late February I posted on this page a reply to the Bellbrae Cemetery Volunteer Grou...p, this is a group not under the auspices of the Cemetery or the Trustees. I asked to join that group so that we could do a post in reply to the article and their comments about the cemetery. To date I have not been accepted. As I seem to have taken on the role as unofficial PR person, I am now re posting the disappeared post. You will need to forgive me as I have only ever created my own page and the Torquay Historical Societys page with a lot of help from others some years ago. So hopefully this time the post will stay and the Volunteer group will understand where we come from. We have had one phone call only before the Geelong Advertiser article in which we were promised an email, to date that email has not been received and therefore no communication has been made. Please note our Surf Coast Times article about the Trust and the new Trustees that appeared, primarily in answer to the criticism. Please note that the clean up of the cemetery started discussion in November, and the plans laid in January. The work commenced in February. Not as a re-action to the Geelong Advertiser, but as part of a plan to maintain the cemetery long term. The weeds had been sprayed already in November because of the Spring Growth. Christmas interrupted any further work, which would have not benefited the cemetery until all the weeds had died off. You need to be aware that our Trust had received many resignations from the much older Trustees over the last eighteen months, and it was in crises with a need to find more Trustees suitable for the ongoing running of the cemetery. We advertised with the help of the Surf Coast times, when we had no response to the Departments ads, and we received 16 applications. We have 5 new trustees, approved by us and ready to go, they have already organised the clean up, which one can view on visiting the cemetery now. It takes up to five months for the Governors appointment of new Trustees. That time is almost up, but the work commenced by the newbies was done with the permission of the Department of Human Services. Please read the post that disappeared which I will post in a few moments, and believe our Trustees, old and new are doing an amazing job under the circumstances. Congratulations must go to Keith Grossman, our new Chair, for his leadership in this time, and to Elizabeth Wapshott, our Secretary, soon to be a Trustee, for her unfailing support of the Trust and its Trustees over ten years. Our community has benefitted by having people like these two in control of the Trust and the cemetery. The new Trustees as shown some of them in the photo, have hit the ground running and you can be proud of their input. Lorraine Marshall
23.01.2022 Hello all, just checking as we seem to have a group page and our official page, not sure why, but we have made our official page public, so hopefully this is what I am on. So just a reminder that the Official Cemetery Walk, conducted by the Torquay Historical Society is to commence at 2pm. Everyone welcome Lorraine Marshall
17.01.2022 Another revisit. More fresh material coming soon
16.01.2022 By Lorraine Marshall On Sunday at 2pm I will be at the Bellbrae Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Bellbrae to conduct an interesting cemetery walk, of this iconic, peaceful and historic Cemetery. TheBellbrae Cemetery began in on 1st August 1864 with five Trustees approved by the Governoner. The Cemetery will celebrate its 155 years next October. Come and hear the history of some of the pioneers that are buried at our cemetery, including names such as Vic Tantau, Geoff Emerson, William... and Annie Gundry and Joseph Gundry, Felix and Florence Rosser and many more. The Cemetery is planning celebrations for next October, and we will keep you informed. The Trust has applied for Grants to install some more historic plaques, and you will be able to read the ones the Trust did for the 2014, 150 years celebrations. DONT FORGET I WILL BE THERE AT 2PM THIS SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER. LORRAINE MARSHALL
13.01.2022 Last week the Cadell Evans Great Ocean road Race was hosted by Deakin University and Surf Coast Council. Just prior to the race on Wednesday, The Women were hos...ted by the Surf Coast Shire to a welcoming cocktail party, and a community welcome at the hill at the Surf Club, where they gathered from all over the world to compete in this race. At the Historical Society a few days before I was asked if we had any photos of women in sport. Well! Guess what not many! Mostly from the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club where the women, excel. Particularly our older women and now our younger competitors. Our younger generations have been excelling since the eighties, but did you know we have many older women who have been members for some fifty or sixty years and some before the seventies when they were actually allowed to join the Surf Club. They were only admitted before the seventies to the Surf Club for functions that they organised as fund raisers, running tin rattles along the beach, and social gatherings such as dances and balls. And of course to make afternoon tea for the fellows. Sharon Heathcote and Marion Lowe were awarded their bronze medals in 1980, the first women in Victoria to achieve such an honour. They went on to be long term members of the Surf Club, Sharon achieving Life Membership and the first female President of the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club. Below is a photo of the first women bronze team of the 1980s. So I took to looking amongst our copious files, but not many women recorded. We have some of the youth groups, mainly church groups and tennis, but I stress very little. I have put one such photo on for you. Below are the photos I managed to give to the Council, Jenene Golding now in her sixties is still doing patrols, Karen Costa ,a boatie again an older member of the Surf Club, she is still rowing with the older girls and they rowed at Gallipoli on Anzac Day 2015 as a re-enactment of our troops landing at Gallipoli. Such an achievement. Of course another boatie that we have featured on a face book site is Melissa Russell, one of the boaties that rowed in the Championships a few years ago in the Sharon Heathcote surf boat. The younger generations that are members of the Torquay Surf Club are thriving and winning medals to rival their counterparts. I will endeavour to get photos for our followers of our younger generations. In the meantime here are some pics for you. I have also included a paper clip of Phyl Wall, Esther Pittard and Peta Carter, and another older one of women bathers in their neck to knee bathing costumes. I am working on the history of the amazing women of the Surf Club and looking for photos of that era. So if anyone has any let me know! Not just of the surf club. Any sport!
12.01.2022 We receive many questions about the rights of the grave owners when pre purchasing a lawn grave, monumental grave or Memorial Gardens (Ashes) We hope this clari...fies any quuestions often asked. RIGHTS OF INTERNMENT FOR THE GRAVE OWNER Your Responsibilities 1. If, after first having obtained the permission of the Trust, an approved monument or plaque is erected on the grave, it is the responsibility of the current Holder(s) to ensure that what is erected is kept in thorough repair and proper condition. If what is erected falls into a state of disrepair, it may, at the discretion of the Trust, be removed or repaired at the Holder(s) expense. 2. It is the responsibility of the Holder(s) to keep the Trust informed of their address and contact information (see 10.3). 3. In his or her Will, any Holder(s) should include provision for transfer of ownership of the Right of Interment to another person. Such a Transfer is only effective when formally notified to the Trust by the executor of the Will. General: 4. All plantings, including grass, whether in the Lawn Grave Sections, Memorial Gardens or the general areas of the Cemetery are carried out and regulated by the Trust. 5. In the Lawn Grave sections and Memorial Gardens of the Cemetery, it is strongly recommended that granite flower vases be used for permanent installation. They are approved by the Trust and available for purchase from a Monumental Mason. 6. The use of flower containers made of glass or other fragile material is a risk to Cemetery safety so is not permitted at any time by the Trust. OWNERS RESPONSIBILITES FOR CREMATED MEMORIAL ASHES GRAVES 1. Freehold title to the land remains with the Crown. 2. Cremated human remains interred in the Bellbrae Public Cemetery are interred for perpetuity unless otherwise requested. If a 25 year tenure is requested, the Trust will notify the Holder in writing when 25 years has expired. At that time the 25 year tenure may be renewed or converted to permanent tenure upon payment of the appropriate fee, or at the Holders expense, and if feasible, the cremated remains may be exhumed and returned to the Holder. 3. It is the responsibility of the Holder(s) to keep the Trust informed of their address and contact information. 4. An Application for Approval to Inter Cremated Human Remains (Form B) needs to be received by the Trust before an interment may proceed. These are available from the Trust Secretary. Please give two weeks notice prior to an interment date so the site may be prepared. OWNERS RESPONSIBILITES FOR BODILY INTERNMENT (GRAVES) (SUMMARY FROM DOCUMENT WHICH APPLIES TO MAINTENANCE) CREMATED REMAINS 5. Only Bronze plaques approved by the Trust are to be installed by your selected Monumental Mason. 6. If you desire to visit and place floral tributes regularly, then it is strongly recommended that a granite/stone vase with a removable insert for flowers be used for permanent installation. The permanent granite/stone is to be bedded into the garden. It should project no more than 100mm above ground level and be no wider than 200mm in order to not encroach on to adjacent memorial sites. They are approved by the Trust and also available from your selected Monumental Mason. This paragraph relates to Memorial Gardens A and B only. 7. Trust Regulations allow for floral tributes to be placed in temporary containers for a limited period from the time of an interment, usually less than 3 months. These should be of a heavy duty material such as stone or pottery which will remain upright in the wind. 8. In his or her Will, any Holder(s) should include provision for transfer of ownership of the Right of Interment to another person. Such a Transfer is only effective when formally notified to the Trust by the executor of the Will. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF BODILY REMAINS Right of Interment 7. Bodily remains interred in the Bellbrae Public Cemetery are interred for perpetuity. 8. Unless varied at the time of purchase and expressly noted on the Trusts receipt, the grave site may be used for two Interments using only standard size caskets. 9. A Right of Interment in a grave is issued by the Trust in the name of one or two persons as Holder(s). Joint ownership is recommended, especially, for example, in the case of a married couple. The Holder(s) are either the applicant or another person(s) as requested by the applicant at the time of the purchase. Only the Holder(s) in whose name the Right of Interment is issued, or a person legally acting on the Holder(s) behalf, may authorise an interment of bodily remains or the interment of cremated human remains in the grave. 10. A Right of Interment does not convey an interest in the real property of the grave site. 11. Upon payment of the appropriate fee for a Right of Interment, a receipt is issued to the nominated Holder(s). The name and address of the Holder(s), the location of the grave and any special conditions applicable are shown on the receipt and entered into the Trusts records. Interment is separately arranged at the time the Right of Interment is exercised, that is, when an actual interment is carried out. Your Responsibilities 12. If, after first having obtained the permission of the Trust, an approved monument or plaque is erected on the grave, it is the responsibility of the current Holder(s) to ensure that what is erected is kept in thorough repair and proper condition. If what is erected falls into a state of disrepair, it may, at the discretion of the Trust, be removed or repaired at the Holder(s) expense. 13. It is the responsibility of the Holder(s) to keep the Trust informed of their address and contact information (see 10.3).
11.01.2022 Remembering our diggers, and those who have their final resting place at Bellbrae Cemetery
10.01.2022 It is with great pleasure that we announce the approval by the Governor and the appointment of the latest three trustees, and really happy that they include our last Secretary, Elizabeth, who after ten years of service is now a Trustee, added also is Cathy and Vicki. Earlier this year we welcomed Ed , our new chair, Jeff, Annie, and Bridget. Adding to this Keith and Lorraine who have been steering the Trust in the right direction since February and who joined in May 2017. We... now have nine trustees with a wide range of experience and qualifications to ensure our beautiful cemetery serves our community into the next century. For those who visit often, you will notice the changes where we have been getting ready to open the Eastern Section for lawn, natural, and monumental graves, as well memorial ashes graves in this lovely native setting. Not long to go now. Graves in this new section will soon be available for pre sale. We will let you know when.
09.01.2022 Trust Trustees, Jeff Wapling, (pending) Keith Grossman Chairman, Ed Wansink (pending) Lorraine Marshall, Elizabeth pending and current Secretary, Annie Jones (pending)
07.01.2022 Some of our greats buried at Bellbrae Cemetery
07.01.2022 Today Jeff Wapling and I attended the Surf coast Shire and received a grant of $2000for the cemetery to go towards the installation of eight plaques that will go on eight pioneer and notable graves. Our cemetery is 155 years old next year. Four years ago we had our 150th anniversary and put up 7 Plaques. Our Trust also received $1200 from Torquay community Enterprises to assist in the manufacture of the plaques.... Thank you to both the Surf Coast Shire, and the Torquay Community Enterprises for the grants to achieve the production and installation of the plaques. This will make our celebrations next year very special.
07.01.2022 Another pioneer story of Bellbrae, you can view this plaque at the Bellbrae Cemetery on the grave of Arthur Simmons A colourful history of service Arthur Simmons ... William Simmons married Rebecca Hunter in 1877. As farmers they owned and ran properties at Freshwater Creek and Waurn Ponds (now Deakin University). Their son Thomas married Cecelia Lemin in 1914 and had two sons Arthur and Alan. They lived at the Freshwater Creek farm. Thomas died in 1921, aged 39 from septicemia after a sheep stood on his toe. Cecelia then married William Cunningham. They continued to farm at Freshwater Creek. The boys rode their horses to school. Arthur met Phyllis Mousley at the local dances and used to ride his Raleigh motorcycle to get petrol from the Anglesea General Store, Post Office and Tea Rooms in the hope of seeing Phyllis. It was run by her family since opening in 1917. Her father Reuben had served in Gallipoli inWW1 (His ashes, with his first wife May, are buried in this cemetery). The Mousleys had settled in the area after Reubens grandfather Joseph, who had been transported to Hobart Town in 1836 to serve a life sentence for sheep stealing, was pardoned and moved to Geelong in 1848. He married and had 10 children, one of whom was Ruebens father William. Arthur and Phyllis married in 1938 and bought land at Anglesea for 8 in 1941. Their house was built from recycled materials due to war time scarcities. Phyllis continued to help the family business, manning the switchboard during the Black Friday Bush fires of 1939. Arthur worked for the Forestry Commission while Phyllis and the children worked their land in Anglesea (now the industrial estate). Phyllis died in 2000 and Arthur passed away just before his 98th birthday in 2014. Arthur served on the Bellbrae Cemetery Trust from 1960 until his death in 2014 and is buried in this cemetery.
06.01.2022 This is a repeat of my post that disappeared in February in answer to the Bellbrae Cemetery Volunteer Groups comments on their Facebook page, which to date has not entertained any communication with myself after my request a month ago to join the group. If the groups spokesperson would like to contact me, please join our page and message me, or message me on Facebook. I need to point out that this press release was compiled by myself with the permission of the Trustees at ...Continue reading
03.01.2022 I thought this had been shared but apparently not. Technology still bewilders me. Anyway, it was a lovely service on Wednesday and we were able to put our wreath on the old Cairn (known as Joey Walkers Cairn, which our society helped save when they recreated Point Danger. It was great to see the plaque the Society created to remind us of the research and over twelve months of efforts by our volunteers to be able to produce this for all the Torquay and District diggers past and present. The Bellbrae Cemetery has many returned soldiers laid to rest there after they returned from serving. Unfortunately 23 never returned,along with the other 8000 that perished at Gallipoli, we now honour all of our diggers LEST WE FORGET
02.01.2022 The Trustees of the Bellbrae Cemetery Trust wish all of our friends and followers a happy and safe Easter.
01.01.2022 This was the other part of my previous post that I did share, so trying again. Lorraine Marshall
01.01.2022 This is a post that I posted on the Torquay Historical Society On Anzac day and shared to the Cemetery Trust. The Trust has many returned soldiers laid to rest in the Bellbrae Cemetery. It is worth a visit to this beautiful country cemetery and see the work that has been recently undertaken.
