AGHS Sydney - The Goulburn Jewish Cemetery

The Goulburn Jewish Cemetery and Cultural Landscape, was included in the State Heritage Register in 2021 (SHR #2052). It is in the regional city of Goulburn, in the Southern Tablelands. The place was recognised as an important heritage item long before its SHR Listing. It was classified by the National Trust (NSW) in 1984 having been of interest to both the Goulburn District Historical Society, and the Australian Jewish Historical Society, before that time.

A Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the cemetery and cultural landscape was completed for the Cemetery Trustees and the Australian Jewish Historical Society, by a specialist study team in 2024.

A 1980s refurbishment project introduced new elements such as a stone wall and gates on the street frontage, a memorial cairn, and avenues of tree planting. By 2024 the 1987 landscape scheme had failed, as the majority of the mature trees within the cemetery were dead.

The talk will discuss the history and importance of the place, the CMP findings, policies, and future proposals for the Goulburn Jewish Cemetery and Cultural Landscape.

The Speaker

Dr Siobhan Lavelle OAM is the current Chair of the National Trust Cemeteries Conservation Committee. She has been a member of that committee for 40 years. She has particular interest in placemaking, monuments and memory, and considerable expertise in cemetery conservation. She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2009: ‘For service to historical archaeology and heritage conservation, particularly the preservation of colonial roads and cemeteries.’