Maitland cemetery flooding stops families from visiting graves

The City has appealed to the public to only visit the graves of loved ones at the Maitland cemetery once the flooding there has subsided sufficiently.

Some graves at the cemetery are still deluged due to the combination of recent heavy rains and a high water table, according to mayoral committee member for community services and health Patricia van der Ross.

Ms Van der Ross said the City’s engineers had recommended the design of a formal stormwater management plan as a long-term solution to flooding at the cemetery.

She said there was limited space at that cemetery for new burials, but sometimes family graves could be reopened to accommodate a second coffin.

“The recreation and parks department is regularly engaging undertakers and families to explain that when family graves are required to be reopened for second burials, high water table conditions may prohibit burials in winter,” she said.

It was not known how many graves had been affected by flooding at the cemetery, she said.

A worker at the cemetery, who did not want to be identified, said flooding covered much of it when it rained for a long time.