About Balmoral Cemetery
Balmoral was part of the area Aborigines called “Tugulawa”
which means “heart”. This was probably a reference
to the heart-shaped piece of land that constitutes Bulimba
and Balmoral.
Pioneers came to Balmoral to farm small crops, cotton, bananas,
and later sugar. Until the construction of the bridge over
Norman Creek in 1856, the only way to get to Balmoral was
by ferry across the river, or by travelling from Kangaroo
Point to Stones Corner. Most of the subdivisions in the area
took place during the land boom of the 1880’s. Balmoral
Estate was subdivided in 1888.
Balmoral is gaelic for “beautiful residence” or
“majestic castle” and is the name of one of the
Queen’s castles in Scotland. It has been said that the
surveyor John Watson gave the area the name Balmoral, after
the town of his birth in Scotland.
The area for Balmoral Park was surveyed in 1864. In 1891
the original 55 acres set aside for the cemetery was reduced
to around 15 acres with the remainder to be used for a recreation
reserve. The cemetery is located on the north western side
of the slopes of the park.
In 1872, the Courier published an advertisement for tenders
for the fencing of the “Kangaroo Point Cemetery”.
Tenderers were asked to apply to J. Male, Grocer, opposite
Kangaroo Point School near Quinton Street. The advertisement
really referred to Balmoral Cemetery, which is in the district
now known as Morningside.
Balmoral Cemetery, sometimes called Bulimba or Morningside
Cemetery, was opened around 1874 and its existence at the
junction of Wynnum and Bennetts Roads in Morningside can be
attributed to Frederick
Wecker, who became one of the early
Cemetery Trustees.
Wecker loved the area and indicated that he wished to be
buried there. His impressive grave is situated at the highest
point of the cemetery but sadly it is in disrepair. Wecker
Road at Mansfield was named for Frederick
Wecker, and the
suburb of Greenslopes was named for “Wecker’s green
slopes”, a phrase which locals coined to describe Wecker’s
property near Stones Corner, where he grew lucerne on the
sloping land.
The names Balmoral and Bulimba are interchanged throughout
the burial registers. FOBC chose Balmoral
for our group
as this is the name by which the cemetery is generally known
by locals and older residents. 
The stone wall, which runs the perimeter of the site,
was said to have been built during the depression years
as
part of a work labour program. The well known trade unionist
Alex McDonald was supposed to have been part of the gang
who
built the wall.
The first burial took place in 1874. Sadly, it was that of
George Wilson Pointon, a 6 year old lad who had drowned in
Norman Creek on 26 June 1874. His brother William was disinterred
from the Brisbane Cemetery (Lang Park) and reinterred with
him. Their parents William Pointon (7 May 1842 - 11 July 1923)
and Annie M. Pointon (26 October 1842 - 15 January 1928) are
also buried in the same grave, which is located very close
to the cemetery gates off Bennetts Road.
The Brisbane City Council has records of approximately 15,277
interments but it is likely there are more since it is not
known how many of the very early graves are occupied. The
Brisbane City Council holds some original burial registers
dating from 1888 to 1949. Hemmant Cemetery office holds the
original portion books dating from 1875. FOBC Inc maintains
a full list of monumental inscriptions.
The cemetery closed in the early 1960’s but burials
still take place for those who own family plots. Further
plots have been sold in recent years.
Graves predominantly face east, in accordance with Christian
tradition, however some of the early graves face in the other
direction.
A Lieutenant Governor, several Mayors, numerous members of Parliament, pioneers,
inventors, explorers and early settlers have their final resting-place
at Balmoral Cemetery.
Sadly, the ravages of time, erosion, pollution and vandalism
have taken their toll on the Balmoral Cemetery and pose a
constant threat to the monumental inscriptions.
Cemetery map
The cemetery is about 4km south east of Brisbane CBD, located adjacent to the corner of Wynnum and Riding Roads Morningside, bounded on the south by Bennetts Road. UBD Map 24 L2.
Click
here to download a printable map (pdf 300k).
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