Willaston Cemetery situated at Dawkins Avenue, Willaston, was opened on 1 August 1866. It was one of the first large public cemeteries to be established after the passing of the Regulation of Cemeteries Act in 1862. It reflects contemporary social attitudes towards the location, management and layout of cemeteries in the mid-19th century. It is noted for its high quality monuments and outstanding collection of cast-iron work associated with Gawler’s role as an industrial centre.
The first burial occurred on 18 November, 1866 and was that of Mrs Sarah Woodward Clement, aged 35 years, first wife of Edward Clement, Gawler Councillor and Mayor. The funeral was attended by a reported 700 people, some of whom would have been transported in the sixty vehicles that followed the hearse. The Bunyip described the cemetery at this time as a pretty place, securely fenced with an iron gate at the entrance and turnstiles on either side for pedestrians.
The Gawler Heritage Study of 1998 recommended that Willaston Cemetery be State Heritage Listed. The cemetery was described as an ‘exceptionally fine South Australian cemetery’ featuring ‘significant iron-work and monuments; contains rare species of native flora; has significant historical associations; and commemorates many significant South Australians’.
The cemetery was confirmed as a State Heritage Place in the South Australian Heritage Register on 8 November, 2001.
For a list of all interments having headstones - 500 pages in alphabetical order of surname - Click Here. Also stored at the Gawler Cultural Heritage Centre, microfiche of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
At the entry to the Willaston Cemetery are headstones taken from Pioneer Park.
Email: council@gawler.sa.gov.au
Fact Sheets
- General Questions
- Interments (Burials and Cremations)
- When is Development Approval Required?
- Renewals of Interment Rights and Re-Use of Sites
- Grave Cleaning and Maintenance
Application Forms
- Application for Burial
- Application for Placement of Ashes
- Application for Rose Garden Placement
- Application for Niche Wall Placement
PLEASE NOTE: fees are subject to change every financial year
Interactive Map
Use the map below to look up a loved one. For best results refer to the information on the right hand panel.
For mobile users, please use this map.
Printable Maps
Willaston Cemetery Map 1 - Whole Cemetery
Willaston Cemetery Map 2 - Inner Sections (Rose Garden, Niche Wall)
Vacant Sites
Willaston Cemetery Vacant Plots Map
Willaston Cemetery Burials Register
Willaston Cemetery Burials Register By Surname (1.59 MB)
Willaston Cemetery Master Plan
Willaston Cemetery Master Plan - Adopted July 2026
Willaston Cemetery Conservation and Management Plan
Willaston Cemetery - Conservation and Management Plan 2024 - Adopted December 2024
Additional Resorces
Disclaimer: The following resources were not produced by the Town of Gawler. Council does not claim authorship and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided.
Dr John Stephenson’s annotated list of Willaston Cemetery interments with headstones: 1866-2017
An alphabetical register of headstone burials at Willaston Cemetery featuring notes to assist with family history and local heritage research.
Australian Cemeteries Website - Willaston Cemetery
Contains a vast collection of headstone photos in the Willaston Cemetery. Created by Mr Peter Applebee in 2010.