Cemetery volunteers celebrated

VOLUNTEERS who have spent countless hours cleaning and painting graves at the Mareeba Pioneer Cemetery over the past year have been recognised for their contribution.

After transformation

Around 60 people gathered at a celebratory luncheon recently to be recognised for volunteering to clean and paint 1100 graves at the old cemetery, transforming the dirty and mouldy headstones to a sea of gleaming white.

Before transformation

Organiser Michael Musumeci hosted the event and, with the help of Cr Lenore Wyatt, presented each volunteer with a specially-made medal and certificate.

The quest to return the iconic site to its former glory started in 2023, with the first part of the project aimed at people coming along to either visit their family graves or try to locate the many unmarked graves throughout the cemetery comparing records.

“This was also an opportunity for others to come along with photos of their loved ones and share their stories. These stories were then shared on the Mareeba History Facebook, collating as many as we could put together, and that continues to this day,” Michael said.

“A large majority of the graves already had been painted many years ago so to bring them back to their original state had to be researched as to how best we could do that.”

Commencing in September 2023, volunteers from Mareeba, Kuranda, Dimbulah, and Atherton started to arrive.

“During the time of the project, we have had more than 85 volunteers come and help clean the graves from the all the mould and then paint them by hand.”

All graves will eventually be given three coats of paint to ensure it lasts.

Michael said the volunteers, from all walks of life and ages, had endured heat, cold and rain to come out to the cemetery on Saturdays to undertake the work and shown true respect for those who were interned there.

“Most of the graves, are over 100 years of age. They now look absolutely phenomenal now and the cemetery is back to its full glory,” he said.

He said watching volunteers clean and paint the graves had truly been inspirational.

“Every grave is treated with the utmost of respect,” Michael said.

“None of this could have been achieved without the generosity of the in-kind support from our growing number of volunteers, businesses and individuals who have also donated money, paint and their valuable time towards this project.”

There are still some graves left to clean and paint and anyone who wishes to help can keep track of the project through the Mareeba History Facebook page.