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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Catholic school's plans to expand over former cemetery labelled 'disturbing'

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Tasmanian historical group is protesting a Catholic school's plans to build over a former cemetery, calling it an injustice.
  • The Office of Local Government declared the school's land "not a cemetery," despite at least 355 burials between 1861 and 1936.
  • The group fears the decision disrespects pioneer Catholics and condones past mishandling of burial sites, citing a law change that allows such declarations if land is used for other purposes for 50 years.

A Tasmanian historical group has labeled the Catholic school's plans to expand over a former cemetery as "an injustice" and deeply disrespectful, fearing it could lead to the disturbance of settlers' remains. The Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in Deloraine, northern Tasmania, had its land declared "not a cemetery" last month by the Office of Local Government.

an injustice

— Mark Butson and Kerensa GrigsonDescribing the decision to allow the school to build over a former cemetery.

This declaration was made despite records showing at least 355 people were buried on the land between 1861 and 1936. The ruling allows the Catholic Church to apply for development, provided it first attempts to locate, exhume, and relocate any human remains. However, members of a Deloraine historical group, Mark Butson and Kerensa Grigson, believe this decision is profoundly disrespectful to the "pioneer Catholics of the parish."

"I think it's particularly disturbing," Mr. Butson stated, emphasizing that those buried there were given the assurance their graves would be protected and never disturbed. Ms. Grigson added, "As a Christian, my biblical principles are that we're to protect the dead because they can't speak for themselves."

I think it's particularly disturbing.

— Mark ButsonExpressing concern over the disrespect shown to the deceased buried at the former cemetery.

The historical group argues that the land was declared "used for another purpose" solely because the church failed to protect it, citing the removal of headstones and the school's expansion onto the site. They believe this decision "endorses and condones bad behaviour" by the church. Tasmania amended its cemetery laws in 2018, allowing land with graves to be declared "not a cemetery" if used for other purposes for at least 50 years. This law was previously used when thousands of remains were unearthed at The Hutchins School in Hobart.

As a Christian, my biblical principles are that we're to protect the dead because they can't speak for themselves.

— Kerensa GrigsonExplaining the moral and religious imperative to protect burial sites.

A spokesperson for the Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart stated that records show all headstones were removed in 1949 to accommodate the school's recreational needs, and a single memorial was erected to honor all interred. However, Mr. Butson and Ms. Grigson claim some headstones remain, contradicting the Archdiocese's account.

It's endorsing and condoning bad behaviour [by the church] instead of stopping it.

— Kerensa GrigsonCriticizing the ruling that allows development on the former cemetery land.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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