Tuesday 18 September 2012

Port Macquarie Historical Cemetery

I would like to acknowledge the Biripi, the traditional owners of this land past and present.

After John Oxley's discovery of Port Macquarie in 1818, it was destined to become a penal colony a short time later.

Click on images for a larger view.
Looking back down Horton St towards town from the cemetery, it is easy to vision the funeral processions that would have slowly marched towards the hill along the dirt road. 
At the top of the small hill overlooking the town is the first grouping of old grave sites.
Nearby is the elaborate tombstone of John Verge who died in 1861 at the age of 79.
The adjacent trees in Kooloonbung Creek were the roosting place for Port Macquarie's Flying Fox population this morning.
The cemetery is adorned with large trees some of which may have been planted alongside the graves during the funerals.
There is some wonderful memorial stonework within the cemetery which is an ideal place to find a historical perspective of early Port Macquarie.
Reading some of these headstones you cannot help feel and think about the hardships of these early days, and the lives of the pioneers that now reside in a location far away from their countries of birth.
A great place to learn more about the history of Port Macquarie is from local historian Mitch McKay. http://www.pmheritage.com.au/about.html

From here I feel the images say far more than words.

My SLR Camera tip for today is plan a storytelling photo shoot like the one above. History is a great context and helps you to learn more about the past.

Fair Dinkum!!

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