Blink, and you'll miss the little town of Brentwood – so you've got almost NO chance of finding the Brentwood cemetery without local assistance!
Don't look at me - I'm not going to tell you exactly where it is!
But I'm not exactly going to hide it either. After all, it IS mentioned in official Yorke Peninsula Tourist information brochures, so it's not a total secret!
For a start, it's not actually in Brentwood. But Brentwood is at the junction of 5 peninsula roads – so you've got only a 20% chance of picking the right one. On the off chance you DO get it right, you've still got an uphill battle ahead of you. There's no sign. It's off the road. And it's on private property.
But I'm getting ahead of myself! First things first – so why is Brentwood Cemetery worth hunting down?
Secondly, the cemetery is a fascinating slice of Yorke Peninsula history and heritage. According to Leon V Davey's excellent and informative 2000 guide, available from the Yorketown Historical Society, the cemetery was granted in 1878, with the most recent burial in 1973. Many well known Yorke Peninsula families are represented here, with further historical and genealogical information about relatives of the deceased in the guide. Intriguing headstones give glimpses into times gone by, family relationships and early settler life – and unmarked graves a puzzle with a few clues such as size and proximity to other graves.
Thirdly, it gives the traveller a completely different – and very picturesque – perspective of South Australia's Yorke Peninsula, better known to the tourist for its magnificent coastal scenery, natural attractions, beaches and lighthouses.
And if any more reason is needed, hunting it down means paying a visit to 'Harvest Corner', the excellent Visitor Information Centre in nearby Minlaton to ask for directions. Your visit to Minlaton need not go unrewarded – handmade chocs from the Chocolaterie next door, and a magnificent bakery across the road make it even more attractive!
Worth it? Absolutely!
Enjoy - if you can find it!!
PS There's another FIIIIIINE bakery at Yorktown!!
I'm re-posting this to join in the wonderful new (ish!) Taphophile Tragics meme! Love graveyards? Then Taphophile Tragics is the place to be!!!
I'm re-posting this to join in the wonderful new (ish!) Taphophile Tragics meme! Love graveyards? Then Taphophile Tragics is the place to be!!!
I must slow my reading down. I read Cape York. How could freesias possibly grow there.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great place. You always have something worthwhile to share with us. :)
ReplyDeleteSo thank you for that.
Have a wonderful week ahead!
Big hugs!
B xx
Gota go there, not about the cemetry, but the natural scenery. Seems like the beaches we would love too.
ReplyDeleteJust hang'n out for a beach fix.
CYA
Out of the way, little old country cemeteries are often the prettiest aren't they? and there's a chocolate shop nearbyish? Mmm.
ReplyDeleteAndrew they are native Australian freesias and they grow wild without any care at all. Whole southern-peninsula nature strips are covered in them in Spring.
ReplyDeleteGo Red Nomad. I love country cemeteries. I would scan the horizon for the tallest group of trees, and there is often a Yew tree in any old cemetery.
Chocolates and bakeries - oh happy days - I envy you. keep it up for both of us.
@Andrew - read your comment & my blood ran cold! Did I REALLY say Cape York, OZ's almost-northernmost point instead of Yorke Peninsula, the almost-southernmost? AAARRRGGHH! YP, of course, has a much milder climate where freesias thrive!
ReplyDelete@Betty - thanx so much!
@Retro Roamers - It's ALL good on the Yorke Peninsula!! Links in this post will show you why!! AND ... at least 4 fab bakeries!!
@River - yes, it's just a magic spot, even without the added inducements ...
@Ann O'Dyne - Freesias were almost the best they'd ever been this year! And great tip for cemetery spotting as well!! And you can rely on me - chocs and/or bakeries? I'm there!
Hello! I love little old cemeteries...and big old cemeteries for that matter!
ReplyDeleteYou really like to taunt (and tempt) us with Yorke Peninsular, don't you?!! ;)
ReplyDelete@Frisky Librarian - Welcome! Do I detect a common theme - 'old'?? They're a puzzle that's SO good for the imagination ...
ReplyDelete@Linda - Yep - so is it working?!
thanks for visiting my blog, yours also nice, visit often and give ur valuable comments.
ReplyDeleteI really need to get a ticket and visit this fab country of your. It's sooooooo boring here by comparison.
ReplyDeleteI popped by from my friend 'Cheese Whine and Whispers'. You have a very nice blog. I've just signed up to be your new stalker/follower from England.
Nice to meet you.
Carol from www.facing50withhumour.blogspot.com
Hi there...I see you have had a visit from Carol in the UK. I agree, your blog is fantastic and a great advert for this beautiful country of ours. Carol is green with envy...and its giving me ideas for my holidays.... ciao for now CWW...
ReplyDeleteIs there a spot in Australia where you have not been :-). Each is more interesting than the one that came before it. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteYou can find some of the most interesting things in cemeteries. I really enjoyed the story on this one.
ReplyDelete@Kurinji - thanx for dropping by! Our blogs are very different - maybe we can learn from each other!!
ReplyDelete@Facing50 - Welcome! And come on down!! Drop in any time to stave off the boredom!!!
@CWW - Stop, I'm blushing! Thanx for your kind words - and for my award!! When I've inspired you to visit somewhere I've written about, my work will be done!!
@Mary - I wish! Sadly, there's a gaping chasm in my OZ experience - Western Australia and Tasmania! Great, as always, to hear from you - hope your day is even better!
@LV - You're right - maybe cemeteries are the new museums?!
Thanks for this, Red. You surely tugged the string for me to follow on along. This would be a sight to see - freesias and orchids. I had no idea the climate on the Yorke Peninsula would have been suitable. Add to that, the fact that I did not know there was a native freesia. I hang my head in shame.
ReplyDeleteI love the wrought iron fences around the first two graves. Makes them look a bit like cots. What is attractive here, too, is the very wildness of the cemetery. Adds to the allure for my tuppence worth.
Thanks for your contribution to Taphophile Tragics. Great to have you along for the ride.
A chocolaterie a very fine bakery
ReplyDeleteorchids and native freesias - and it's only about one and a half hour drive from my front door - sounds like Spring is the time to make the trip Red and obviously my GPS is not going to lead me to the gates of this quaint little grave-yard - I will need to fossick around a bit - you know ask questions at shops and stop and chat a while.
@Julie - I've rarely seen such a picturesque cemetery, which the aura of mystery does much to enhance!! The chocs aren't bad either ...
ReplyDelete@Dianne - It's actually not that hard to find with directions from Harvest Corner Visitor Info Centre! And SO worth it ... look forward to seeing your pix - if you find it!