Perth: Burial places of famous Western Australians


Fremantle Cemetery

The cemeteries in Alma and Skinner Streets were used from 1856-1910. The first burial at Fremantle’s Carrington Street Cemetery was in 1898.

Belford (Bon) Scott, lead singer of Australian rock band AC/DC

Henry Vincent (1796-1869), superintendent of the Native Establishment, Rottnest Island

Eric Edward (Edgar) Cooke (1931-1964), an Australian serial killer nicknamed The Night Caller. From 1959 to 1963, he terrorised the city of Perth by committing 22 violent crimes, eight of which resulted in deaths.

William Edward Marmion, merchant and politician, after whom the suburb of Marmion is named.

Bartholomew Timothy Daly, established a cartage firm known as Daly Bros and was also a Fremantle City Councillor.

Sir William Frederick (Freddy) Samson (1892-1974), a businessman and long-term Mayor of Fremantle.

Lionel Samson (1799-1878), an early Swan River Colony settler and businessman whose firm, Lionel Samson & Son, is the oldest continuing family business in Australia.

William Dalgety Moore (1835-1910), pastoralist, businessman and Member of the WA Legislative Council.

Joseph Bolitho (Moondyne Joe) Johns (1826-1900), Western Australia's best known bushranger.

Charles Yelverton O'Connor (1843-1902), Irish born civil engineer who wqas responsible for the construction of Fremantle Harbour, the Perth suburban railway system and the Eastern Goldfields Water Scheme.

John Bateman (1789-1855), pioneer settler, merchant, whaler and first postmaster.

Walter Bateman (1826-1882), son of John Bateman, Fremantle merchant and member of the Western Australian Legislative Council.


Guildford Cemetery

The earliest burial in Guildford Cemetery was in 1892. The Heritage Council of Western Australia, recognising the cemetery’s historical significance, has listed Guildford on the Register of Heritage Places.

Grace Vernon Bussell (1860-1935), later Mrs Frederick Drake-Brockman, Australia's official national heroine who rescued survivors of the shipwreck Georgette in 1876. Her family were pioneer settlers in WA's south west, the town of Busselton was named in their honour.

East Perth Cemetery

East Perth Cemetery was the first burial ground in Perth with interments commencing in 1830. Early settlers and pioneers were buried there until 1899 when Karrakatta Cemetery opened. Burials of descendants of these early pioneers continued until the mid 1920s.

John Mitchell, a private of the 63rd regiment, has the oldest grave at the East Perth Cemetery. Mitchell, who died of dropsy, age 22, was buried on 6th January 1830. There were three internments before him, but their names are not known, like the two after him.

William Stirling, the infant son of Governor James Stirling, was buried on 2nd May 1831. Two weeks earlier, a William Stirling, age 32, Gov Stirling's first cousin, had been buried at the cemetery. He was the Registrar of Documents in the Colonial Administration.

Charles Simmons, first Colonial Surgeon, was buried on 25th February 1832, aged 28 years.

John Septimus Roe (1797-1878), first Surveyor-General of WA.

Sir Luke Samuel Leake (1828-1886), merchant and first Speaker of the Legislative Council, 1886.

Bishop Matthew Hale (1811-1895), first bishop of the Swan River Colony. Hale and his schoolboy son, drowned while bathing.

Anthony O'Grady Lefroy, C.M.G., (1816-1897), pastoralist and civil servant, the first Treasurer of the Swan River Colony.

Walter Padbury (1820-1907), pastoralist, merchant and philanthropist. The Perth suburb of Padbury is named after him.


Karrakatta Cemetery

The first burial at Karrakatta Cemetery was in 1899 although there are some burials for exhumations from the East Perth Cemetery for people who died earlier.

Philip Collier (1873-1948), Premier of Western Australia, who served in this position longer than any other Australian Party Premier.

Edith Cowan (1861-1932), Politician, Social Reformer who founded the Children's Protective Society. She was the first woman elected as a representative in an Australian parliament.

John Joseph Curtin (1885-1945), Australian Prime Minister, October 7, 1941, until his death in office on July 5, 1945.

Heath Andrew Ledger (1979-2008), Australian actor, best remembered for his role of Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award Oscar as Best Actor.

Sir Paul Hasluck (1905-1993), Governor General of Australia, 1969 to 1974. Sir Paul was a former journalist with The West Australian and the Western Mail, a historian, academic, writer, poet, public servant and diplomat.

John Scaddan (1876-1934), Premier of WA between 1911 and 1916. Although elected as a Labor member, the prominent secessionist also spent time with the Liberal Party, the National Party and the Country Party.

Sir John Forrest, 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury (1847-1918), surveyor, explorer, first premier of Western Australia. His government oversaw the construction of Fremantle port.

Sir Edward Charles (Horne) Wittenoom KCMG (1854-1936) pastoralist, member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for thirty four years. The town of wittenoom was named in honour of his brother, Frank.



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