| Hillsborough Cemetery | |
| Established: | 1916 |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Location: | Hillsborough, Auckland |
| Coordinates: | -36.926°N 174.752°W |
| Graves: | 18,000+ |
| Findagraveid: | 2184387 |
Hillsborough Cemetery is a large cemetery located in the Auckland isthmus suburb of Hillsborough.
The cemetery lies on a ridge at the south of the Auckland isthmus, overlooking the Manukau Harbour. The cemetery is split in two by a large forested valley, adjacent to the Hillsborough Reserve. Erosion is a problem for the cemetery, due to its hillside location. The cemetery is a part of the Waikōwhai Walkway,[1] which extends for 10km (10miles) linking Onehunga to Lynfield Cove.[2] Road access is by Clifton Road, off Hillsborough Road, Route 15.[3]
Hillsborough Cemetery is one of the older cemeteries in the Auckland Region.[4] It was purchased by the Onehunga Borough Council and established in 1916, to provide more space for burials as Waikaraka Cemetery, closer to Onehunga, no longer had available space.[5] During the first six years of operation, very few burials were undertaken at the cemetery, primarily of paupers along the eastern section along Goodall Street.[6] Onehunga Borough Council advertised for a caretaker for Hillsborough Cemetery in 1917,[7] when Waikaraka Cemetery was nearly full. Agreement was reached with Mount Roskill Road Board about access, though further discussed in 1923[8] and 1935.[9]
The cemetery was primarily in use between 1916 and 1976, and it served as an administration hub for the cemeteries of the area, and people were able to reach the cemetery through a bus service, which stopped within the cemetery.[6] The cemetery features sections for three religious orders: St Mary's of Ponsonby, Little Sisters of the Poor (also of Ponsonby) and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, of Waikōwhai.[6]
The final plots in the cemetery were sold in 1974, however burials have continued in the reserved plots.[6] [10]
Some of the notable people buried at the cemetery include: