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VANDALS who attacked dozens of headstones in the Bathurst cemetery have left behind a damage bill of more than $1 million and sparked outrage across the community.
Almost 70 historic marble and sandstone headstones in the Catholic and Church of England sections of the Bathurst cemetery were destroyed some time between Friday afternoon and early Wednesday morning.
Barry Konemann, from the Bathurst Family History Group, who have spent the last two years restoring headstones at the cemetery, made the shocking discovery on Wednesday morning.
He said he was devastated when he came across the damage.
"I've just never seen this type of damage, not on this scale, " he said.
"It's absolutely devastating."
Mr Konemann said 42 headstones in the Catholic section of the cemetery were destroyed and 25 in the Church of England section.
It is possible more damage has yet to be found.
Mr Konemann, who is one of three volunteers who spends eight hours a week restoring headstones in the cemetery, said it would be impossible to repair the damage.
“We can try and repair some of the damage, but none of them will ever come back to what they were. All we can do is try and restore it as sympathetically as possible,” he said.
Asked if better security at the cemetery would help, Mr Konemann said he didn’t think so.
“Very few cemeteries have fences, they are public places and should be accessible,” he said.
“At the end of the day it’s about respect.
“People should respect it. The people who did this, their forebears could be buried here, they themselves may be buried here.”
Mr Konemann said Bathurst was fortunate to have such a beautiful cemetery.
“It’s one of the few cemeteries that’s not built on a swamp or is a clay hole,” he said.
“It has sound structure and, for its age, is in remarkably good condition.”
Bathurst and District Historical Society president Alan McRae said the desecration was “bloody disgusting.”
“Whoever did it is a disgrace. They have absolutely no respect,” Mr McRae said.
Mr McRae estimated the cost of repairing and replacing the headstones would be in excess of $1 million. “Some of these would have cost thousands of pounds 150 years ago,” he said.
Mr Konemann said his small group of volunteers would continue their restoration work, but invited anyone able to help in their work to contact him on 0427 776 413.