More than 1,200 people attended Woronora Memorial Park’s annual open day on Saturday making it one of the biggest in the event’s history.
The chance to ride in an authentic Cobb and Co coach proved to be one of the most popular highlights.
Another crowd-pleaser was the medieval combat and weaponry display by members of the Sutherland Medieval Regiment.
“Families flocked to the display and we had around 150 onlookers for the first battle enactment alone,’’ Woronora Memorial Park chief executive officer Graham Boyd said.
The popular Burwood RSL Pipes and Drums Scottish Band performed, and the petting zoo, pony rides, fire truck and police buggy were popular with the kids.
The cemetery staff worked at the two free sausage sizzles, serving 1,000 sausages by lunch-time requiring an urgent run to Stapleton butchers for more supplies, while staff at Celeste Cottage handed out hundreds of free scones with jam, cream with free tea or coffee.
The Open Day forms part of the National Trust’s Heritage Festival which this year adopted the theme ‘Discovery and rediscovery’.
According to Mr Boyd, there are few better places to gain an insight into a community’s heritage of discovery and rediscovery of loved ones and the community’s past than its cemetery.
The success of bus and self-walking tours throughout the day showed how many people shared this interest.
At the same time, many visitors saw some of the cemetery’s newest developments such as the spiritually significant Stations of the Cross, the Gardens of the Pieta Mausoleum, the Military Memorial, the Local Police Memorial and Wollemi Lawn and the acres of rose gardens.
Mr Boyd said that the Open Day was a wonderful opportunity to demystify what goes on at a cemetery and crematorium.
“The tours of the crematorium and questions and answers associated with how a crematorium works was a very educational experience for all involved,’’ he said.
“The 2016 Open Day at Woronora Memorial Park proved how popular a day out with a difference’ can be.”