Cemetery Tours

Tours of Box Hill Cemetery are conducted by guides from Surrey Hills and Box Hill Historical Societies 3 to 4 times a year. There is
always one held in Whitehorse Heritage Week in September-October.

The cemetery has a rich history and, as well as well-known identities, including author C J Dennis, retail entrepreneur Sidney Myer,
artists Jane Sutherland and Joy Hester, shipping magnate HC Sleigh and members of the Syme family, there are also many pioneers from the Surrey Hills area buried there.

The first burial took place the day after the cemetery was officially gazetted on 30 August 1873 against a background of increased concern for public health with earlier burials occurring in some church burial grounds. It followed the establishment of Boroondara Cemetery in Kew (1858) and Ballyshannassy (Burwood) Cemetery (1865). A feature unique to Victoria – the Columbarium – was built in 1929 to hold urns and caskets containing ashes.

The cemetery’s website includes a search feature allowing the public to check the records of interments at the cemetery.

See – https://www.boxhillcemetery.com.au/search/

Our tours are usually conducted on Sunday afternoon and last about 2 hours and cost $20 per person (discounted to $15 for SHHS and BHHS members).

Participants meet outside the Cemetery Office in the centre of the cemetery grounds. Participants are reminded that some of the paths are uneven and to be mindful of this and wear appropriate shoes. There is limited parking within the cemetery grounds; additional parking is available in Reserve Road or Whitehorse Reserve (with access to the cemetery across the footbridge.)

See here for details of our next tour.

Cemetery tour as part of Whitehorse Heritage Week

‘Our streets bear their names’

Ever wondered when and why streets were named as they are?

Sometimes it’s obvious, such as in the Windsor Estate in Surrey Hills, and of course there are Box Hill’s pioneers, but in many cases the name is more obscure and there’s a background story to be discovered. Just who was Black, Proudfoot and which Florence and which Gilbert?

Why were streets named for them? Explore the backgrounds to local street names with expert guides from Box Hill & Surrey Hills Historical Societies.

When: Sunday 13 September, 2pm to 4pm

Where: Box Hill Cemetery, 395 Middleborough Road, Box Hill.

Cost: $15.00 Bookings are essential and open on 13 August through Trybooking – https://www.trybooking.com/DNJXI

For information about other events during Whitehorse Heritage Week, see https://www.creativewhitehorse.vic.gov.au/sites/creative/files/2026-07/Heritage%20Week%202026.pdf