Brighton Cemetorians

Glen Eira Story Telling Festival -ARTISTS OF THE BRIGHTON CEMETERY - Saturday 27th June 2026.

2pm – meet at the front gate on North Road

Many artists who played significant roles in the history of Australian art are buried in the Brighton Cemetery. Hear the stories from beyond the grave of these fascinating lives and their connections to art and each other. The Melbourne art world was comparatively small, so it is not surprising that many of their lives were linked. Artists we will visit on this walk include a few of the Boyds, Albert Tucker, Will Dyson and Frederick McCubbin; just some of the many artists buried within the walls of the Brighton Cemetery.

Rachel Mackay who will be taking the walk is part of the local art network and is a member of the Cemetorians.

$15 per person Members $10 [Cash]

Bookings essential to 9558 4248

Law Week Walk – “Lives Cut Short” Sunday 24th May 24th 2026 Begins at the Office

On this walk you will hear of the three young lads who drowned in Gardiners Creek, a young girl murdered when going on an errand for her mother, the jockey who fell during a race meeting. These are but a few of the stories that you will hear about on this walk of lives full of promise, never to be.

Cost $15 per person. Members $10 [cash]. Bookings: 9558 4248

Flag Commemoration 17th April & ANZAC Walk 19th April 2026

April 17th Flag Commemoration is being held on Friday 17th April where another 50 Australian Flags attached to a pole will be placed at the side of Veterans graves to publicly commemorate the role of our Men and Women during the Boer War, WW1 & WW2. A Commemoration Service will be held in the area near the office on 17th April at 9.30 am. These 50 flags will join the previous 400 flags. The 450 flags will be ‘flying’ from 17th till 28th April

ANZAC DAY WALK Sunday 19th April at 2pm

Walk begins from the top gate on Hawthorn Road [near the cnr of Sheffield St]

Ring 9558 4248 [Booking is essential] Cost $15 per person [cash]

Join the Brighton Cemetorians on a guided walking tour amongst just a few of the 450 flags that commemorate the war service of the cemetery’s interred.

On this walk we will visit 6 service graves of 8 service persons who have been honoured with a flag. Colonel Eyrl George Lister DSO VD served with the Victorian Rifles and was associated with the earliest Scout Troop in Victoria, 402 Gunner Cyrus Luff Braby was the youngest member of the Heavy Siege Artillery he experienced mental issues and was discharged as medically unfit, committing a murder upon his return. These are just two of whose stories you will hear as we honour just a few of our Service Persons.

Sunday 15th March - St Patrick’s Day Walk – meet near the Office at 2pm
The Irish - Hand on heart they came, with hope, willingness and a bit of blarney, visit their memorials and hear stories of their triumphs and tragedies.
Mary Malahan who was in her 70’s when she arrived following her sons from two marriages who had settled in the East Bentleigh area, her grave is centred around her family and friends, others we will be visiting is Michael Quirk, Mary Brady, Robert & Harriet Arnold along with others.

Cost $15 per person [cash]
Bookings essential – ring Lois on 9558 4248

THE LEGENDARY YORICK CLUB WALK

Sunday 15th February 2025 at 2pm - meet at front gate

Melbourne’s legendary Yorick Club began in 1868, when 64 men connected to ‘Literature, Art or Science’ paid £2 2s each to become foundation members. Famed poet Adam Lindsay Gordon and author Marcus Clarke were at the heart of the ‘brilliant literary coterie’ whose exploits fuelled the myth of wild ‘Bohemian living’ during that era. Other members included notable ‘newspaper men’ and senior civil servants.

Join us to view the superb refurbishment of Adam Lindsay Gordon’s grave and meet other celebrated figures from that exuberant era. These include cartoonist, illustrator and writer Tom Carrington, former chief of Hansard David Dickenson Wheeler, journalist George Arthur Walstab and also to hear about other members.

Meet near the front gate at 2pm. Cost: $15 per person
Booking is essential – Lois on 9558 4248

November 16th – Remembrance Day Walk

On this walk we will be talking about the largely unknown brave men and women who served their country during various wars. 1344 Corporal Robert Patrick Norton Robertson who fought and died during the Boer War, Kevin John Rae was captured in Malaya and was held as a Prisoner of War at Changi. These are but a few of those that we will be getting know on this walk. We honour and remember them.

Meet near the office at 2p,m Cost: $15 per person Booking is essential – Lois on 9558 4248

Flag Commemoration: Friday 7th November –\

The Commemoration will be held at the Brighton General Cemetery on the paved area outside the Office at 9.30 for a 10am start. Marking Remembrance week, the flags will be flying until the 17th November. This is the eighth in a series of 50 graves to have a flag flying to honour our Service Persons for their sacrifice for King and Country. With 400 flags flying it is going to be an amazing sight.

If you would like to attend please ring or email Lois – 9558 4240 or [email protected] to let us know that you will be attending

170 years Celebrations at the Brighton Cemetery - Sunday 19th October 2025

An Open Day will be held from 10qm - 4pm

at the Brighton General Cemetery – North Road – Caulfield South

There will be:

Historical Displays
Self guided walks,
Notable plaque unveilings
Horse Drawn Hearse Walking Tour
Book Sales
and much more…

Please feel free to come in period dress.

If you wish to attend please contact Lois on 9558 4248 or
[email protected]

OPEN HOUSE MELBOURNE

Saturday 26th July 2025

Open access for self-guided tours 10am-3.30pm

Tours run 10am, 12pm + 2pm

Running for 50 minutes in groups of 20

On the walk we will visit Sheila Florance better known as "Lizzie" Birdsworth from the TV Program Prisoner, Hugh James Martin, the World War 1 Soldier who was responsible for Anzac Day being a public holiday throughout Australia, after a day of shooting rabbits with her husband did the gun go off accidentally or did something more sinister happen. These are just a few of the stories to be told.

Brighton Cemetorians 20th Anniversary Celebrations

was held at the Murrumbeena Bowls Club – 10 Blackwood St, Carnegie

It was a wonderful day with about 50 people attending. It was great catching up with people we hadn't seen for a long time and getting to know the newer faces.

The slide show had many of us reminiscing about the many events and happenings taking us down memory lane.

Thanks to all who attended as it made it a very special day,