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These works did not come about by themselves; they were enacted by the Bannockburn Cemetery Trust. And for the past 18 months, the volunteer group has been meeting every Tuesday to maintain, improve and beautify Bannockburn\u2019s only cemetery.<\/p>\n
Cemetery Trust member Melissa Gillett said the group wants to make sure the cemetery is a \u201cnice place.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe host these weekly working bees so that the cemetery can be a place that local people are proud of,\u201d she said. \u201cCemeteries are visited by a lot of people, and we want people to see ours for how beautiful it truly is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The groups working bees typically last around two hours, but members frequently head to the cemetery on their own accord, usually for general maintenance.<\/p>\n
In the past, the trust has transformed the cemeteries front entrance, replaced the old post fencing with an aluminium fence, alongside a variety of other works.<\/p>\n
Ms Gillett said projects are often funded through donations from the community and the Shire.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were lucky enough to receive some funding from some grants, like the Community Strengthening Grant from council, and the Bannockburn Connected Communities Grant,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cemetery Trust also uses some of its own money to pay for the works.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group of eight is showing no signs of slowing down, with plans for future developments already in the works.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor our next project, we\u2019re going to transform our rotunda area into an information centre,\u201d Ms Gillett said. \u201cWe want to put in a sliding door, some windows and close up the back so we can install some information boards, informing people of unmarked graves, areas of interest, that kind of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s always more work to be done, so our projects are just going to keep evolving.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HEADSTONES sit peacefully in the sun, casting shadows across the recently mowed lawn. There is a pile of dirt next to a manicured garden bed, shoots of planted green emerging from the ground. A gravel path leads to a clean bench seat, beckoning visitors to rest in the cool breeze. These works did not come […]<\/p>\n