Introduction to Rose Lane Cemetery at Herberton

Rose Lane Cemetery commenced in 1880 and was used as Herberton town's official cemetery until circa 1885, after which a new cemetery, located further out of town was gazetted and is still used today.

Over the next 100 years, Rose Lane Cemetery became forgotten and the area was zoned as a Recreational Reserve, to be used as a horse paddock, pony club grounds and occasional speedway testing track.  

Eventually through lack of use, it became overgrown and ignored by most in the local community.  All that stood to remind anyone passing that a cemetery had existed, was one lone substantial headstone, the grave of Joseph James Gwynne, Surveyor.

In about 2006, it was brought to our notice by Bill Jessop, a long time local resident, that, apart from the current Herberton Cemetery, there was an old original graveyard in town with a single headstone.  Bill took us to have a look.  We struggled through long grass and weeds, over bits of wire from non-existent fencing and loose rocks.  We arrived at the grave of Joseph James Gwynne to find it relatively intact and close by were the remains of a cast iron plaque with no identifiable information.  There were also bits of old timber paling fencing and in years past Bill had constructed a wire fence to keep the horses away from the graves.

We were fascinated by what we saw and the fact that it existed in town but was unknown to most residents.  

From that point in time, we were caught up in the story of the original Herberton cemetery and there began our journey to uncover the story of Rose lane Cemetery.