Description
The Dharawal Resting Place holds great significance as an Aboriginal site situated within the Coast Hospital Cemetery, located in Little Bay, Sydney. It holds immense importance for the Dharawal People as well as the wider Aboriginal community. Established in 1881 during the smallpox epidemic, the cemetery served as the second burial ground for the hospital between 1897 and 1952. Over the years, in 2002, 2005, and 2018, ancestral remains of Aboriginal people were respectfully reburied in this sacred place.
Origins of the Coast Hospital Cemetery can be traced back to the smallpox epidemic that swept through Sydney in 1881. Its establishment aimed to provide a final resting place for patients who succumbed to smallpox and other infectious diseases, including bubonic plague, typhoid fever, and leprosy. As the city grappled with outbreaks of these illnesses, the hospital and cemetery remained in use throughout the 1900s. In 1934, the hospital underwent a name change to Prince Henry Hospital, and in 1946, it was transformed into a teaching hospital.
Today, the Coast Hospital Cemetery preserves approximately 2,000 graves of patients and nurses who were relocated to the isolated hospital during various outbreaks of infectious diseases. While often overshadowed by the nearby La Perouse, this site offers a unique glimpse into Sydney's history, encapsulated by its tranquil yet evocative graveyard.
Address
Coastal Firetrail
Little Bay New South Wales 2036
Australia
Cemetery Map