Memorial gardens celebrate 75 years

QUEENSLAND'S oldest crematorium, Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens, will celebrate 75 years of service to the Queensland community by hosting an open day this Saturday from 10am.

Local community leaders, including council members, clergy and local RSL representatives have been invited to celebrate the special day, which will include a classic car display, reminiscent of the era in which the park opened.

Regional manager for Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens, David Adams, said he was looking forward to seeing people on the day.

“We are really looking forward to celebrating this milestone with the community. We are immensely proud to be able to give the communities around Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens the very best venues for funeral services and this event will showcase its special features,” he said.

A service will begin at 10am in the West Chapel to mark the 75th anniversary, followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens War Memorial.

The wreath laying ceremony will symbolically commemorate the long association Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens has with the Australian Armed Forces and honour those who have sacrificed for their country.

Tours of the gardens and crematorium and a behind the scenes look at how Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens operates will be available for guests to enjoy throughout the day, as well as a string quartet and sausage sizzle run by the local Holland Park Scouts, Victor Scouts.

Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens was selected as the site for Brisbane's first crematorium with discussions about establishing a crematorium in Brisbane dating back as far as 1912.

Excavations started in 1933, and all buildings and grounds were fully completed in 1934.