ARARAT Rural City Council has confirmed much needed drainage works at Ararat Cemetery are now complete.
The works commenced on 9 September 2024, with final work concluding in the week of 14 October 2024.
The project was centred around the installation of new grated pits and pipes, most crucially the laying of pipe with an increased diameter (525mm, replacing the previous 225mm diameter pipe), around the entrance of the cemetery.
This project has expanded the drainage capacity of the entire system, greatly reducing the risk of flooding of the childrens’ section near the cemetery’s ingress.
Works also included the replacement of pipes underneath Nott Road, with upgraded materials and an increased diameter of 300mm (previously 225mm diameter).
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The works were undertaken in kind by Council, as part of the 2024-25 capital works budget.
Ararat Cemetery is a significant historical landmark, and includes approximately 300 pioneering Chinese burial plots to the left of the entrance gates.
The graves have been restored and commemorated with an informational sign; many of these burials go back to the 1860s, and include miners, merchants, gardeners and farmers.
“These works are vitally important to our local heritage and our local families,” said Ararat Rural City Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison.
“We must continue to protect and preserve this sacred space to honor the memories of those who have passed, and to ensure that future generations can continue to visit and pay their respects,” Dr Harrison said.