By Alesha Capone
It’s an unfortunate case of history repeating for an elderly woman who has expressed concern about flooding at Werribee Cemetery.
Margaret Hassett, 84, said she visited the cemetery on July 18, where she was “deeply concerned to find my late husband’s and my parents’ graves under water”.
“I could not get access to visit them,” she said.
She said the flooding along the cemetery pathways and around the graves meant she could not get close enough to put flowers where her loved ones are buried, without being submerged in water up to her knees.
Mrs Hassett’s son Stephen, who died when he was 14 months old, is also buried in their family plot along with her husband Cyril and parents Michael and Dot O’Connor.
Mrs Hassett said a cemetery official had told her that due to the flooding, she would not be able to buried in the family plot, as the area would be too difficult to dig through.
Back in April 1989, Mrs Hassett and her mother were featured in a front-page article in the Werribee Banner titled ‘Flooded graves cause distress for family’.
At the time, Mrs Hassett and her mother – along with other residents – expressed worry about the flooding at the cemetery.
Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) interim chief executive, Deb Ganderton, said the organisation would be happy to meet with Mrs Hassett to talk through her concerns.
Ms Ganderton said that GMCT could confirm that the presence of water pooling or ground water following rainfall would not prevent a burial in any of its cemeteries.
“We understand Mrs Hassett’s distress caused by water pooling on the pathway inhibiting access to her son’s, husband’s and parents’ graves in our 150-year-old Werribee Cemetery,” Ms Ganderton said.
“This water pooling followed recent heavy rainfall.
“We acknowledge that, consistent with any open space areas after heavy rains, drainage can be an issue at some historic cemeteries because of the possible impact on existing monuments should works be required; for example such as raising the level of the path.”
