Arabic version: يورك تخطط لمقبرة رابعة مع اقتراب الموقع الحالي من بلوغ طاقته الاستيعابية

According to ABC News, the Shire of York is investigating a fourth cemetery site as its current active burial ground approaches capacity. Modelling indicates a new site may be needed within five years and could be available as early as next year, subject to identifying and testing suitable land.

York, 100 kilometres east of Perth in Western Australia, has three cemeteries and is known as the country’s oldest inland town. More than half of its residents are aged over 55, giving it the state’s oldest median age of 56. Shire chief executive Alina Behan said an ageing population and residents’ connection to the town were driving demand, with some people booking burial plots 25 years in advance.

The York Cemetery at Mount Brown was allocated in 1874. Historians estimate 600 people are buried in its historical section, while archaeological surveys in 2023 identified more than 400 potential unmarked graves. Initial historical research indicated there may have been multiple burials within the same grave site, and hundreds more people are buried in the modern blocks.

Shire president Chris Gibbs said people who form a strong connection to York may choose to be buried there even without a long family history in the town. He said regional cemeteries preserve local history and provide a place for communities to reflect on their past. Gibbs said he would not want York to adopt a space-saving approach based only on practicality and efficiency.

Elaine Huddy, whose daughter Tabatha was buried at York Cemetery in 1979, said the cemetery has enabled her family to visit and commemorate her daughter. Huddy, who has lived in York on and off for 58 years, said she hopes to be buried alongside Tabatha in the town she considers home.