Beechworth Cemetery & Chinese Burning Towers

Beechworth Cemetery is one of Victoria's significant historic goldfields cemeteries and has been in use since 1856. More than 17,000 burials are recorded within the cemetery, which contains the graves of pioneers, gold miners and many people associated with the history of Beechworth and the surrounding district.

The cemetery is registered with Heritage Council Victoria as a significant and substantially intact example of a mid-nineteenth century goldfields cemetery still in use. Historic features include ornate iron gates and Beechworth granite entrance pillars dating from 1888, a rotunda, historic headstones, a Turkish fountain and the rare Chinese Burning Towers and altar. The grounds also have botanical significance because of their collection of established landscape plantings.

Chinese Section

The Chinese section is one of the most historically significant parts of the cemetery and contains the remains of many Chinese miners and settlers who came to the Beechworth district during the gold rush. It is estimated that about 2,000 Chinese people were buried here.

Rows of small Chinese footstones remain within the cemetery. Unlike conventional headstones, these were positioned at the feet of the deceased. Many Chinese people hoped ultimately to be buried in their home villages in China, and some remains were later exhumed and returned to China for reburial.

Chinese Burning Towers

The two distinctive Chinese Burning Towers were built in 1857 and are rare surviving reminders of the cultural traditions practised by Chinese communities on the Victorian goldfields.

The towers were not used for cremations. They contained chambers where mourners burned paper prayers, paper money and other offerings for the dead. Food was also offered as part of funeral and remembrance ceremonies. The use of burning towers is associated particularly with southern Chinese traditions and reflects the origins of many of Beechworth's Chinese gold seekers.

The altar in front of the towers was constructed in 1883-84 and was used for offerings of food such as rice, fruit and meat for the spirits of the deceased.

The Burning Towers are located inside the main gates in the northern section of the cemetery.

Historic Graves Walk

Visitors can undertake a self-guided Historic Graves Walk through the cemetery. The walk explores a selection of significant graves and stories, including pioneers, war veterans, prominent local residents, early Chinese residents and the Chinese Burning Towers.

See the Beechworth Cemetery Historic Graves Tour for the interactive map and information about the graves.

Beechworth Cemetery & Chinese Burning Towers

Beechworth Cemetery & Chinese Burning Towers

Please remember that Beechworth Cemetery remains an operating cemetery. Be respectful of graves and memorials and do not enter an area while a funeral is taking place.