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Karori Cemetery
Descriptive Data
DescriptionKarori Cemetery, established in 1891, is New Zealand’s second largest burial ground. It covers nearly 40 hectares and approximately 83,000 people have been buried there.
Originally built to replace the overcrowded Bolton Street Cemetery, the site at Karori was chosen after the council had looked at options in Island Bay and Khandallah. Under the 1882 Cemeteries Act, a new cemetery could not be built within the boundary of an existing city or borough. Luckily, Karori Borough was not yet established and the land for the cemetery was still deemed 'rural'. The site was secured with weeks to spare before Karori became a borough.
Karori Cemetery had nearly reached capacity by the 1950s. In 1965, Makara Cemetery became Wellington’s principal cemetery. Karori Cemetery is still used today, for pre-purchased ash or family plots and children’s plots.
The crematorium at Karori Cemetery, built in 1909, was the first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Originally built to replace the overcrowded Bolton Street Cemetery, the site at Karori was chosen after the council had looked at options in Island Bay and Khandallah. Under the 1882 Cemeteries Act, a new cemetery could not be built within the boundary of an existing city or borough. Luckily, Karori Borough was not yet established and the land for the cemetery was still deemed 'rural'. The site was secured with weeks to spare before Karori became a borough.
Karori Cemetery had nearly reached capacity by the 1950s. In 1965, Makara Cemetery became Wellington’s principal cemetery. Karori Cemetery is still used today, for pre-purchased ash or family plots and children’s plots.
The crematorium at Karori Cemetery, built in 1909, was the first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Relationships
External linksWellington City Council cemeteriesRelated Event1918 Influenza Pandemic
Related Event1918 Influenza PandemicAdministrative Data
Described ByJessie Bray SharpinDate of Description25/06/2019Referenceshttps://wellington.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/cemeteries/karori-cemetery/about-karori-cemetery
Yska, R. (2006). Wellington, Biography of a City. Wellington: Reed Books.
Additional notesKeywords:
Karori Cemetery Crematorium
Bolton Street Cemetery
Makara Cemetery
Tangiwai Memorial
Date of Description25/06/2019Referenceshttps://wellington.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/cemeteries/karori-cemetery/about-karori-cemeteryYska, R. (2006). Wellington, Biography of a City. Wellington: Reed Books.
Additional notesKeywords:Karori Cemetery Crematorium
Bolton Street Cemetery
Makara Cemetery
Tangiwai Memorial
Karori Cemetery. Archives Online, accessed 02/06/2023, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/101912