Stories behind Popanyinning’s unmarked graves uncovered by passionate volunteers

The stories of Popanyinning residents who laid in unmarked graves were almost lost until not-for-profit organisation Outback Graves uncovered their identities. Pioneer Cemetery — located along the old riverbed off Lord Street — was Popanyinning’s original cemetery after the first pioneers arrived in 1893, according to the Shire of Cuballing. The burial grounds were used until 1911, when the Popanyinning Cemetery was opened. Over the decades, the wooden pickets and railing surrounding the graves succumbed to the elements despite efforts by locals such as the Edwards family to preserve the town’s history. In 2021, an Outback Graves volunteer stumbled across Pioneer Cemetery and made it their mission to uncover the forgotten stories. Outback Graves operations manger Trevor Tough said the not-for-profit organisation had identified more than 2000 unmarked graves across WA. “One of our people who is very good at sniffing out old and abandoned cemeteries came across the Pioneer Cemetery just out of Popanyinning,” he said. “They were just little graves on the edge of the town in and amongst the bush and there’s really nothing there to indicate them at all. “We think two or three had headstones.” The organisation’s researchers, in partnership with the Shire of Cuballing, sifted through historical records and used local knowledge to piece together the identities of the residents in the unmarked graves. “A lot of the graves we do are just one single grave out in the middle of somewhere, so quite a lot of work and effort goes into identifying the person and their story,” Mr Tough said. “These are the pioneers and their stories deserve to be told. “They worked pretty hard to make the towns what they are today ... so it’s important to tell our stories.” Shire community development officer Michelle Atwell said the cemetery was a link to Popanyinning’s proud history. She said one of the graves was believed to be 116 years old. “Few towns can boast about having two cemeteries but Popanyinning can,” she said. “Usually they have a lone grave here or there, but Popanyinning has six graves or possibly more that were unmarked or marked but were lost along the years.” Newly engraved plaques were installed at the believed locations of the unmarked graves and next to the headstones of the marked graves last month. “With the graves now marked with stainless steel laser-etched plaques, they will be around for many years to come,” Ms Atwell said. “Not only are the names on the plaques but also a little biography about the person. “Anyone who visits the cemetery will not only be able to see names but who they were and, if known, how they died.”