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Old Pioneer Cemetery

The Old Pioneer Cemetery is located at 1A Lymn Avenue, Athelstone SA 5076.

Old Pioneer Cemetery Map

Old Pioneer Cemetery Interment Register

New Burials & Ashes Memorials

The Old Pioneer Cemetery has burial sites available for purchase if the deceased person has a family association with the Athelstone Primitive Methodist Church congregation and lived the majority of their lives in the Campbelltown City Council area. Please note:

  • There is to be no pre-purchase of sites at the Old Pioneer Cemetery.
  • An associated person (or their spouse) may only purchase one burial site.
  • The consent of the Mayor and the Chief Executive Officer is required for these purchases.

Ashes memorial positions are also available on the Columbarium Wall.

The term of interment rights for both burials and positions on the Columbarium Walls is forty years.

For all advice on burials and ashes memorials you can contact the Council by:

  • Completing the Council’s General Contact Form, including as much information as possible.
  • Emailing the Council at mail@campbelltown.sa.gov.au.
  • Calling the Council on 8366 9222 between 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday.
  • Writing to the Council at 'PO Box 1, Campbelltown SA 5074'.

History

The Gorge Primitive Methodist Church (later, The Athelstone East Methodist Church) opened for worship as the “Little Glory” Church in 1861, on land facing Gorge Road, near the corner of Lymn Avenue.

The nearby Wesleyan Methodist Church (later the Athelstone West Methodist Church) was built a few years earlier in 1855 and was demolished in 1969 to make way for the Athelstone Shopping Centre. Shortly before the Athelstone West Methodist Church was demolished, the two Methodist congregations combined. The last service at the Athelstone East Methodist Church was held on Sunday 11 March 1973. However, the Church proved to be structurally unsound and was demolished in 1977. The cemetery was re-named the Old Pioneer Cemetery in honour of the many early pioneers from the Athelstone area buried on this site.

Campbelltown City Council took over management of the cemetery in 1976.

Some of those buried there include:

  • Stephen AMBER (d. 1886) was a foundation member of the Gorge Primitive Methodist Church and a trustee of the Wesleyan Church. A member of the Payneham Council, he led the split in 1867, which resulted in the formation of the Campbelltown Council in 1868.
  • Mark & Mary Ann BILNEY (d. 1898 & 1898) market gardeners, sauce-makers and cayenne pepper manufacturers. Mark Bilney was one of was one of the first stand-holders in the East End Market and Mary Ann Bilney won numerous awards, including the gold medal at the London Exhibition 1873-4, for her mushroom catsup.
  • Heinrich Albrecht Ludwig ‘Henry’ EY (d. 1927) born at Klemzig in 1856 to Prussian (German) parents who purchased land in Athelstone in 1853. Part of a long established market gardening family who grew fruit and vegetables.
  • William & Mary Dudley PACKER (d. 1898 & 1897) were born in Gloucestershire, England, their descendants purchased land in Athelstone, Highbury and Paradise. The family played a major role in the development of the celery industry in South Australia.