Seven Bearbrass walkers spent an educational morning strolling through the contoured pathways and gardens of the heritage-listed Boroondara General Cemetery.
Led by Richard B. on March 15, the party found such remarkable features as the memorial to Age publisher David Syme (1908) with its Egyptian motifs on the temple.
Then there was Dr John Springthorpe's affecting temple to his wife Annie, who died in childbirth of their fourth child in 1897 (who survived). The memorial - with serpent-head gargoyles at each corner, was built over the four years to 1901. The statue of an angel was by the famed sculptor Bertram Mackennal. This site's architecture, with its ruby-glass roof, is said to be the most noteworthy grave in Australia. Strangely, we could find no mention there of Annie's name, though we found she was born on the 26th day of January 1867, married on January 26, 1887 and buried on January 26, 1897.
We also came across the grave of the colourful bookmaker John Wren (1851–1953), whose career was fictionalised by Frank Hardy's Power Without Glory, and a president of the Collingwood Football Club.
We were intrigued by the memorial to Dr Thomas Serrell (1849-91), featuring on top a lifelike statue of his faithful greyhound named Malvern.
While a sad place (and still in use), the cemetery is beautiful parkland decked with weeping elms and cypresses, and Canary Island pines. Most of us cheered up with coffee and cake at the old Post Office café nearby.
Elizabeth M. managed to snap two magpies bookending one gravestone.
