Cade Lucas
More complaints have been made about the condition of Werribee Cemetery following reports in the Star Weekly over the past two weeks.
Responding to stories of overgrown grass and vegetation (February 14) and local residents being denied burial plots due to a lack of room (February 21), Pauline Soulsby of Bacchus Marsh approached Star Weekly with her concerns about Werribee Cemetery which she has been visiting since her sister was buried there in 1974.
Ms Soulsby’s sister, along with both her parents, are buried in the cemetery’s Catholic section near the boundary with the neighbouring housing commission estate.
She said that whenever there was heavy rain their graves would flood due to poor drainage, with water sometimes rising as much as six inches up the monument.
Ms Soulsby claimed botched rectification works from cemetery staff had caused the flooding problems.
“Originally there was a culvert there and the water would escape,” she said.
“However in their wisdom, they decided to fill in the culvert without any piping underneath it. They put it in there in the hope that the water would seep away better, however it didn’t because they never put any proper drainage in under that gravel that they put down.”
Ms Soulsby said she’d repeatedly complained to the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) that manages Werribee Cemetery, about the flooding, but to no avail.
During a particularly bad flood two years ago she almost gave up.
“We drove down there one day in particular and came in off the main road, in onto the gravel road, and the water was just flowing. It was so upsetting.”
In response GMCT chief operations officer Dimi Patisis said the trust did act on complaints and encouraged family members and residents to do so.
“We are happy to resolve any customer concerns through our regular communication channels and encourage them to call us on 1300 022 298,” Mr Patisis said in a statement.
It’s not the first time Ms Soulsby has had to complain to the trust about the condition of her family’s graves.
In 2018, her parents’ graves were damaged when a staff member accidentally backed over them while operating machinery
She said it took more than 12 months for the graves to be repaired.
Ms Soulsby said traveling to other cemeteries throughout Victoria only highlighted what a poor state Werribee was in.
“We call into a cemetery where my husband’s family are buried in a little place called Rheola. That cemetery is pristine,” she said.
“And we’ve got Werribee and as far as I’m concerned, it’s a total disgrace.”
