Hagley residents concerned about potential sale of cemetery

Uniting Church’s Hagley cemetery is attached to the defunct church, with both currently listed on the property market as one entity. 

A group of 90 people from Hagley and nearby suburbs met last week to discuss the possibility of saving the cemetery from being sold to a private buyer. 

The group unanimously voted to put a motion to the Uniting Church Parish Council to create a trust to purchase the cemetery as a stand-alone asset. 

“[About 20] people have reserved spots and we don’t know what would happen if it was in private hands,” ex-treasurer of the church Val Gibson said. 

Westbury church member, and meeting organiser, Ivan Badcock said the Uniting Church’s Synod of Victoria and Tasmania announced it would sell all 43 Tasmanian-owned cemeteries at a recent meeting. 

He is concerned about the prospect after reports of ex-Uniting Church cemeteries falling into disrepair. 

“The Bracknell Uniting church and cemetery sold 15 years ago...and one of the Bracknell residents found a bull calf running around among the headstones,” he said.

“[The church sold] Butleigh Hills cemetery and reports are that there are trucks driving over the graves and the irrigation.

“Hagley people do not want that to happen in their cemetery.”

Mr Badcock originally wanted the Meander Valley Council to purchase the cemetery, however mayor Craig Perkins said it was not the council’s place to do so.

Cr Perkins supported the outcome of the meeting.

Uniting Church were contacted for comment.