BATHURST councillor Michael Coote wants to see the historic part of Bathurst Cemetery fenced off in order to deter vandals.
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He raised the issue at council’s last policy meeting in the wake of a shocking attack on graves, some dating back to 1886.
On June 25, 100 gravestones in the Catholic and Church of England sections of the cemetery were damaged by vandals.
The damage was discovered by Barry Konemann who, along with members of the Bathurst Family History Group, had spent the last two years restoring headstones in preparation for the city’s bicentenary celebrations.
The group had already spent thousands of dollars of its own money restoring the headstones.
Police have since arrested two 15-year-old boys and a 14-year-old girl in relation to the damage to the historic headstones.
The estimated the cost of repairing and replacing the headstones will be more than $1 million.
Some of the headstones are estimated to have cost thousands of pounds 150 years ago.
Cr Coote said the issue was initially raised at a recent meeting of council, when a community member asked if council would consider fencing the old section of the cemetery.
He said the cemetery is repeatedly being vandalised, but this last incident went beyond anything he had ever witnessed.
“They did $1 million worth of damage the last time. It’s an absolute joke,” Cr Coote said.
“I think the older plots definitely could be locked up at night.
“It might stop people going in there and drinking and messing around. Something should be done to stop this behaviour.”
Cr Coote said deputy mayor Ian North supported him in calling for a report into the cost of fencing off the historic part of Bathurst Cemetery.
He said he does think council should look at the possibility again.
“Unfortunately kids nowadays don’t have the respect they should have,” Cr Coote said.
“The lack of respect shown to the dead is horrible.
“There is just nothing that can be said about something like this.
“I am looking for support on this matter. I always try to get action on any matter that I raise through council.”
In the meantime, the Family History Group has begun the gruelling job of trying to repair the damage.
Mr Konemann said he will need a small army of volunteers to help get the cemetery back the way it was.
