What lies beneath

Walking across a paddock pushing a mower like machine is not everyone’s most exciting idea of an activity, but for David Hunter every step taken could show a potential disturbance. David has been carrying out an underground survey of of the King Valley's Whitefield Cemetery, known as a ground disturbance search, to confirm how many graves disturbances have occured in the cemetery, and whether they are unknown, unmarked or there are no records held. The machine is a ground penetrating radar that uses a central transmitting frequency as it passes over the ground at every 25 centimetres apart and a reading interval of no more than five centimetres. The Whitefield Cemetery Trust received a grant to enable this survey to occur from the Department of Health Cemetery and Cematoria unit. Whitefield Cemetery Trust secretary Leanne Jenvey said there were approximately 130 names of interments for the cemetery with no headstone, marker or location but that number is starting to creep up as the word is getting out around the trust's 'Lost Souls' project. "We know the graves that are marked or recorded but l have approximately 130 names of people buried in the cemetery that we don't where," Leanne said. "This number is variable as the original records are not available, and more names and queries are popping up as the wider community becomes aware of our search. "David has completed two sections of the cemetery and is returning on 18 October for a week to complete the dry sections of the cemetery. "If not all the sections are dry enough for the radar to penetrate – he will return later when, hopefully, the radar can penetrate damp areas. "We held an open session for members of the public to visit the cemetery and see the machine in action, and to speak to David about what he is hoping to achieve." If anyone wishes to visit and see what is occurring you are most welcome to contact Leanne on 0488 598 324 and another session will be arranged.

What lies beneath

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