A walk through the Drakesbrook Public Cemetery located in the Shire of Waroona reveals the hidden stories of families who settled in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The cemetery is rich in valuable historic resources and reminders of various settlement patterns with connections to the area’s original pioneering families and ties to the waves of Italian families who migrated to the region after World War II. Burial records dating back to 1903 have been meticulously maintained by the shire with the original burial register book still maintained until this day.
Today, the Drakesbrook Public Cemetery is, by its very nature, a place of quiet reminiscence, allowing our community members to live on in the memories of their lost ones and aid in the grieving process.
To further connect people with the rich history of our cemetery and allow families to further celebrate their loved ones, the Shire of Waroona embarked on the implementation of a digital cemetery platform.
Chronicle is a digital mapping and database software solution which was created by Matthew Borowski in 2016.
The system creates digital mirror of the cemetery which allows the shire to manage cemetery records and share them online.
Chronicle uses geospatial engineering services to map the cemetery and provide each grave with a unique ID creating an accurate plot map relating to existing electronic records.
This is achieved through an aerial drone survey which produces high resolution aerial images and cross checks them against manual maps for accuracy.
A GPS coordinate and headstone photo of each plot is recorded, and diagrams of individual burial spaces are then marked providing a full overview of plots colour coded by status (reserved, interment, vacant), walking directions from a smart phone to searched plots, viewing and storing of headstone photos, public access to locate ancestors, and accessibility via web browsers on any internet connected device.
In addition, Chronicle provides members of the public with an opportunity to create an online memorial with Life Chronicle sharing stories of their loved one’s life.
The Shire of Waroona anticipates that Chronicle will be live by Monday 13 March and looks forward to providing the public and our community access to invaluable historical information, by connecting memories of the deceased through meaningful digital innovation.
