East Perth Cemeteries

Cemeteries in Perth, WA

Here at East Perth cemeteries, we believe cemeteries embody historic, social, aesthetic, scientific and spiritual values. They provide a history of the nation’s growth, present a personal connection with history, demonstrate customs and religious practices, and are highly valued by the community. That is why we put so much effort into preserving our cemeteries. From large metropolitan cemeteries to lone graves; cemeteries form an important part of our history and culture. Some cemeteries are significant to the nation at large, some to a religious or cultural group or a region, some to a single family. Cemeteries. The site for a burial ground was surveyed at East Perth in late 1829, and the first acknowledged burial was John Mitchell on 6 January 1830. The cemeteries within the grounds continued to be the main burial ground for the Perth area until April 1899 when burials commenced at Karrakatta Cemetery.

The East Perth Cemeteries burial ground were closed for new burials in 1899, except for those in vaults or with the approval of the Governor. Burials at East Perth continued until 1916 when this practiced was ceased with a handful of exceptions. It is widely acknowledged that there are over 10,000 burials within the grounds of the East Perth Cemeteries. There was no burial register kept by either the Church Wardens or the caretakers of the Cemeteries. This led to researchers having to spend many hours compiling various histories and datasets on the East Perth Cemeteries and these have been produced in various formats.

The East Perth Cemeteries is open to the public every Sunday between 2 and 4pm. We offer guided tours available by appointment.