Council has successfully secured funding to complete the Makaraka Cemetery headstone restoration project.

This follows a Council decision last December to contribute staff resources and $25,000 towards the restoration. The Lotteries Commission has granted the $33,000 required to deliver the project.

The project has been progressed through the endeavours of a working group made up of Council elected members and staff, Friends of Makaraka Cemetery Trust, Historic Places Tairawhiti, and individuals with a direct interest and connection with the cemetery.

The aim is to reinstate the headstones that were buried by the former Cook County Council more than 35 years ago.

The relatives of headstone owners gave consent to the Trust to uplift the headstones on their behalf.

Some headstones have already been reinstated by the descendants, while the remaining 77 headstones will be allocated to three stonemasons who are working through a detailed scope of work for each.

At a recent meeting with the working group and family representatives, it was agreed that work over and above reinstatement would be at the expense of the descendants.

ENDS

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