Deep connections drive burial growth in historic WA town

Shire of York president Chris Gibbs only moved to the historic town in recent years, but has already decided he wants to be buried there."I have no intention of leaving York, this is where I've decided to make a life," he said.York, which is 100 kilometres east of Perth in Western Australia, has the claim of the country's oldest inland town.Chris Gibbs says people continue to be buried in York after forming a strong connection to the town. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup)Mr Gibbs said many people within the town and others who were moving back to York had a strong emotional connection to the place."If I was to spend the rest of my days here, why wouldn't I personally want to be laid to rest in a town I helped contribute to and felt like I belonged to?" he said."It doesn't have to be someone with a long history in a town who chooses to be buried here."It can be someone who starts their family's story in this town by choosing to be laid to rest in a place they loved and they have connection to."I can only see that increasing as people continue to move to York."The Shire of York says the local cemetery is reaching capacity. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup)Shire of York chief executive Alina Behan said a combination of an aging population and community connection had led to the need for another cemetery."People book [burials] 25 years ahead to make sure they can actually get their plot of land here at York so they can continue, whether it's a family tradition or just keep that association to the place they have lived in and loved," she said."It obviously is a popular place to be buried."Oldest inland townDespite having three cemeteries, the shire is looking at creating a new burial site as the current one will soon reach capacity.Historians estimate there are 600 people buried in the historical portion of the York Cemetery, which was established in 1874.In addition, more than 400 potential unmarked graves were identified after archaeological surveying works in 2023, with initial research into historical records indicating multiple burials in the same grave site.Hundreds more are buried throughout the modern blocks. The York Cemetery at Mount Brown was allocated in 1874. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup)With more than half of the town's residents aged over 55, York has the oldest median age in the state, sitting at 56 years of age, leading the local government to plan for future burial demand.Mr Gibbs said the longevity of regional cemeteries was vital to the preservation and continuation of history. "Regional cemeteries paint a history of the region and the town, and as the towns continues on and we continue to lay our loved ones to rest it creates a map of where we have come from and where we're going," he said."As a society we all need a place where we can look back at where we came from." Metro cemeteries out of spaceAs a way to combat space limitation, Perth's Karrakatta Cemetery has a renewal program that involves land between burial plots being used to create more gravesites, relocating already existing headstones.More than 9,000 new gravesites and 30,000 memorial locations have been created since the program began in the mid-1990s. Grants of burial are given a tenure of 25 years before renewal works are considered, with possible time-frame extensions.Karrakatta Cemetery's renewal program involves land between burial plots being used to create more gravesites. (ABC News: Emma Wynne)Mr Gibbs said he did not want to see York replicate Karrakatta's solution out of respect for those who had passed."Could you do this is a very different way that required a lot less land? Absolutely," he said."But life needs to be treated with respect."I wouldn't want to see cemeteries based only on practicalities and efficiency. "I think we need to hold firm on that."Burials into the futureElaine Huddy's daughter Tabatha was buried at the York Cemetery in 1979, passing at just one hour old after being diagnosed with spina bifida at birth. She was not able to hold her daughter and does not have a photograph of her, but one day hopes to be buried alongside her at the York Cemetery.Elaine Huddy wants to be buried with her daughter Tabatha in the town she considered her home. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup)Ms Huddy, 68, has lived in York on and off for the past 58 years, spending time in Perth and Indonesia between returns to her home town.She said despite her travels, she had remained connected to the town through the strong sense of community. "Even though I have come and gone, this is home. It has always been home," Ms Huddy said.Ms Huddy said having a cemetery in York meant she was able to celebrate her daughter and visit her regularly as part of her grieving process. Tabatha Wheeler was laid to rest in York Cemetery. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup)"When it was Tabatha's 40th birthday, myself, her father and our two children and grandchildren came up to the cemetery to celebrate," she said."Having her close to home means she is never far away."The Shire of York says modelling indicates a new site will be needed in the next five years but could be available as soon as next year pending identification and testing of the grounds.