Waverley Cemetery is located on the cliff tops of Bronte, with expansive views of the ocean and horizon. An operational burial facility, the Cemetery gained State Heritage listing in 2016 and retains much of its Victorian layout. Containing over 90,000 burials and interments, the cemetery features white marble headstones and monuments as well as a diverse array of funerary furniture.

Early Colonial History

Proclaimed in 1859, Waverley Municipal Council soon  recognized the need for a general cemetery to serve the growing community of Sydney’s eastern suburbs. In 1868, the Council allocated £1,200 to purchase ten acres of land for this purpose.

By this time, societal views on death and burial had evolved significantly. People no longer viewed cemeteries as grim, fear-inducing places relegated to the margins of society. Instead, there was a growing desire for scenic, garden-like spaces where individuals could visit, reflect, and honour their loved ones.

With an additional 12 acres acquired, Waverley Cemetery was officially opened on 1 August 1877. The first burial, of 85-year-old Ruth Allen, took place on 4 August 1877.

The first manager of the cemetery was William Thomas, appointed in 1877. Thomas was responsible for the day-to-day operations of Waverley Cemetery, and oversaw its development according to a strict set of bylaws. These guidelines carefully regulated the cemetery's objectives, particularly focusing on the style, layout, and color of headstones, grave sites, and funerary furniture.

Designed in the Victorian style, Waverley Cemetery featured an extensive use of white Italian Carrara marble, creating a visually striking atmosphere. This unified aesthetic, combined with the cemetery's dramatic natural surroundings, made it a popular choice within the community. Its appeal was such that the establishment costs were fully recouped within the first year.

In 1890 the extension of the tram service made the cemetery even more accessible. Council expanded the site, and by 1894 the cemetery had grown to its current size of 40 acres and bounded by Trafalgar, Boundary and St Thomas Streets.

There was also a great deal of construction completed, including the Caretaker's House, Cemetery Lodge, Waiting Room, the Cemetery Gates, and other shelters and landscaping works.

20th Century

Waverley Cemetery continued its work throughout the 20th Century, with a change in architectural style and diversity. Smaller and more modest Edwardian monuments began to be built, and cremation services offered. The ongoing use of the cemetery has seen the introduction of different funerary styles and fashions that reflects the evolution of cultural and religious diversity of Sydney through time.

Waverley Cemetery was added to the NSW State Heritage Register on 28 October, 2016.

Monuments

Irish Rebellion Monument/Irish Martyrs' Memorial

Between 1898-1901 a memorial to the Irish Rebellion was built at the cemetery. The Carrera marble monument was designed by architect John Hennessey and is the largest monument to the Rebellion in the world. The memorial contains the interred remains of Michael Dwyer (leader of the rebellion) and his wife Mary. The Dwyers were exhumed and reinterred at Waverley Cemetery in 1898, with the procession and ceremony being attended by 100,000 people. 

1894 Middle Head Submarine Mine Explosion/Chowder Bay Monument

On 3 April, 1891 a demonstration of the network of harbour defenses went terribly wrong in front of a crowd of thousands. The accidental explosion of a submarine mine off Middle Head claimed four lives, and injured another eight. A memorial was erected at Waverley Cemetery on the 6 May, 1894 and unveiled by Major General Hutton to representatives of all branches of the military and thousands of civilians.

Commemorating Lieutenant T. Hammand, Lieutenant R. Bedford, Corporal J. McKee and Bugler C. Bennett the imposing monument is formed of three tiers of bluestone supporting a marble obelisk. Designed by City Architect Lieutenant McRae, the memorial was manufactured by Ross & Bowman of Waverley at a cost of £230.

Governor Duff Memorial

Sir Robert Duff was the 18th Governor of NSW, serving from 1893-1895. The first NSW Governor to die in office, he was buried at Waverley Cemetery in a military ceremony with both Anglican and Masonic rites. The memorial consists of a prominent marble cross, and originally featured a chain fence and lion statues.

Henry Kendall

One of the most recognised and regarded Australian poets, Henry Kendall lived a life of turmoil, poverty and ill-health. His composition Songs from the Mountains (1880) was a huge success, and his love for the Australian bush well recognised. Following his death in 1882, a monument was raised in his honour in 1886 and his remains reinterred. Featuring a column of Italian marble raised on a bluestone pedestal, the inscription reads:
"Here lies Henry Kendall, poet: Born, 18th April, 1841, died 1st August, 1882. Some of those who loved and admired him have in grateful and lasting remembrance of his genius built this monument above his ashes."  

Greek Revival Monument to Sir James Martin and Lady Martin

Sir James Martin KBC QC is the only person to have held all three NSW State positions of Attorney-General, Premier, and Chief Justice. Martin had an illustrious legal career, and was an influential journalist, lawyer, statesman, judge, and politician. Martin Place in Sydney CBD is named in his honour, and Lady Martin's Beach after his wife. Originally buried at St Judes, Randwick in 1886, he was reinterred to Waverley Cemetery following his estranged wife's death in 1909. Built in the classical style, the white marble vault overlooks the ocean and contains both Sir and Lady Martin's remains.

Notable Residents

• Henry Lawson, poet and author of While the Billy Boils
• Jules Archibald, founder of The Bulletin, and benefactor of the Archibald Prize
• Dorothea Mackellar, poet and author of My Country
• Ethel Pedley, author of Dot and the Kangaroo
• Robert 'Nosey Bob' Howard, NSW first salaried hangman
• Sarah 'Fanny' Durack, Australia's first female gold medalist
• William Dymock, co-founder of Dymocks booksellers
• Lawrence Hargrave, aviator and inventor
• Victor Trumper, Test cricketer
• Phineas and John Solomon Thompson, US Civil War Veterans