Early Residents of the Ripplebrook DistrictPrint Page

The gates commemorate early residents who are buried in the cemetery.

Land was reserved as a cemetery on the banks of Heifer Creek at the junction of the Westernport and North Yannathan roads in 1879. Originally known as the Yannathan and Longwarry South Cemetery, it later became known as the Ripplebrook Cemetery. The first internment, an infant of John George, was made in 1879 and the last, an infant of George Gray, was made in 1914. According to records, 34 burials were made of which only 8 were adults, the rest young children most of whom were under the age of 3 years.

In the early 1950s the site came to the attention of Cr. A. Goudie and it was decided to erect a memorial to the pioneers who were buried there. A grant of 150 pounds was obtained from the Health Department and this grant combined with 25 pounds "already in hand" was used to erect a new concrete and wire boundary fence, and wrought iron gates on large ornamental posts with a brass plaque on each. Trees were also planted but these were "not a success" and do not appear to have survived. The memorial gates were unveiled on 26 November, 1955 by Mr J. Preston, then the oldest resident of the district in the presence of the Buln Buln Shire President, other councillors and a large number of local residents (RCC).

By the late twentieth century many of the memorials were destroyed or damaged and the remains of many were removed for safekeeping. In 2008 a new memorial, a large stone with a plaque listing all the burials, was placed just inside the gates. A new post and rail fence was also erected.

Ripplebrook (near Drouin) will commemorate its pioneers by a special enclosure at the cemetery and a memorial gate at its entrance. The enclosure will encompass the graves of pioneers of pioneers of that district buried up to about 1920. There will be no names on the tablet.
Argus (Melbourne), 27 November 1953.

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