Fitzroy Crossing cemetery graves burnt again in suspicious fires
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island readers are advised that this story contains references to people who have died.
Fitzroy Crossing resident Patsy McGinty visited the local cemetery, 2,400km north of Perth, with a family member on Monday.
She said she saw "up to 20" burned grave sites, including damaged crosses and decorative tributes.
It was the second fire at the cemetery since October.
"We thought it was probably from the previous burn, but when we approached and looked closer, you could tell it was quite recent," Ms McGinty said.
Authorities said multiple fires were reported in the region on Saturday.
Volunteer firefighters responded to several scrub fires in the Fitzroy Crossing town site along Flynn Drive, Poole Court and Henwood Close just after 10:30am.
It took crews less than an hour to extinguish a blaze that burned through more than 2,700 hectares of bushland.
The Shire of Derby-West Kimberley said another fire broke out the same morning between the Buruwa and Junjuwa communities north of the town.
Ms McGinty said she was not aware of the fire before her visit and said the size of the blaze was significant.
"The fire has come from one end to another, pretty much," Ms McGinty said.
She said many overgrown graves were burnt.
"There are several others [graves] that aren't maintained and families aren't able to go and clean," Ms McGinty said.
"A lot of overgrowth, and I think those were the main ones affected."
The burial site is the resting place of many Aboriginal people from the region.
After the initial fire in October, residents with families buried at the cemetery told the ABC they had concerns about the maintenance of the site.
They called for better fencing, fire breaks and the installation of an on-site water system.
In a statement, the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley said firebreaks and emergency access routes were in place.
"These preparations helped crews respond quickly," a spokesperson said.
Ms McGinty said the site, which was the responsibility of the shire, needed to be better maintained.
"I know they said they did a fire break, but it just makes you think, how effective was the fire break?" she said.
The council statement said the shire was "working closely with emergency services".
"Damage assessments are now underway, including to the airport fence and cemetery," it said.
Police said anyone with information should contact CrimeStoppers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
WA prisoners help with project ensuring the legacy of fallen soldiers is remembered
Standing at the Avenue of Honour in West Australian regional city Albany, you can simultaneously see memorials honouring fallen soldiers and the harbour that many Anzacs set off from as they headed for the war front. Hundreds of plaques sit at the base of trees lining the road that leads to the Fallen Soldier Memorial. As the city prepares to host a raft of events next year for Albany 2026, WA's first bicentenary, the area is undergoing a refresh. This included creating a trail under the trees to provide easier access to the plaques, following requests from family members of those being remembered. A team from the Pardelup Prison Farm built the 600-metre footpath in about six weeks. The Section 95 prisoners have the opportunity to work in the community and acquire skills as part of their rehabilitation. One of the inmates involved spoke to the ABC about the work, saying the names on the plaques and "how hard they would have had it back when they went to war" made a lasting impression. "[They're] ages 18,19, all the way up to the mid 20s ... if they didn't do it, we probably wouldn't be here today," he said. David Johnson, Pardelup Prison Farm's vocational support officer, said about a dozen inmates took part. "It's one of the biggest projects we've done and I certainly felt from the crew we had the most buy-in we've had, in regards to them working here," he said. "The former RSL state president spoke to the men at the start to give them a bit of an idea of why we're doing it and the significance wasn't lost on them. "They worked quite tirelessly to finish the project on time." Vietnam veteran Ralph Flowers lives nearby and for many years has been maintaining the plaques, clearing fallen branches. "Before Anzac Day we had a lot of rain here and a lot of the plaques got spray on them, so I came up and dusted a lot of them off," he said. "The first tree on the right is Private [Ronald John] Bell, Vietnam vet. He's got a special significance to me and he's got a couple of beers I put there for him." WA's Corrective Services and Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said he appreciated the prisoners' contributions. "It's a great opportunity for prisoners, for anyone, to be respectful, to make a contribution on behalf of the community and in remembering our veterans," he said. "Across the state, there are more than 150 prisoners who are veterans and you'd imagine that, over time, when we do [more] projects like this, they will have an opportunity to contribute to something that will be close to their hearts." Avenue of Honour refurbishment project coordinator Jane Mouritz said the work of the prisoners was part of a wider project. "In September we will have the Southern Regional TAFE students planting tree seedlings they collected [for] two garden beds book-ending the path," she said. "Next year we have a plan for ongoing care and management of the Avenue for perpetuity, we hope. "We have invited schools, community groups, businesses all throughout Albany to … adopt the Avenue one month at a time."
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
For 35 years, Jacob Mingo was Woolworths' 'most dedicated trolley collector' from Carnarvon
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and images of an Indigenous person who has died. For more than three decades, people exiting the Carnarvon shopping centre were greeted with the friendly, smiling face of Jacob Mingo. Mr Mingo collected trolleys at the local Woolworths for 35 years and was once called "Australia's most dedicated trolley collector". The 50-year-old, who lived with disability, passed away last month and is being remembered as an icon of the town and a man who brought kindness to his work every day. "He was a friendly person to everybody from all over," his mother, Esther Mingo, said. Flags at the shire office were flown at half-mast to honour his memory. Ms Mingo said she would deeply miss her son, who always stood by her side and was "loved by everybody". Ms Mingo is a Yindjibarndi woman who moved to Carnarvon at a young age and raised Jacob in the small town, 900km north of Perth. Local artist Trish Oullette was a close friend of Mr Mingo's, and in 2023 won an art prize for her portrait of him. Ms Oullette said she was glad she had that painting to remember him forever. "I still expect him to walk into the office. I still expect to see him walking around the streets, pushing trolleys," she said. Jenni Jacomelli was Mr Mingo's manager for a decade, and "couldn't believe it" when she heard about his passing. "Jacob was very special to me in my years there [at Woolworths]," she said. Ms Jacomelli said he was one of the most dedicated workers she had ever supervised. "No-one could collect trolleys like Jacob — his work ethic was unbelievable." In 2008, Mr Mingo was nominated as Woolworths' employee of the year, and travelled with Ms Jacomelli to Brisbane for the awards ceremony. She said she would always remember travelling cross-country with Jacob. Ms Oullette said she and Jacob were fast friends from the moment she arrived in Carnarvon. "He was a happy-go-lucky person who would do absolutely anything for anyone," she said. "I'm going to miss the times we used to sit together and just paint." Ms Mingo said her son's hard work went beyond the shop's car park. "He used to come home from work, he'd cook … he'd help us in the yard, he'd do everything for me," she said. Ms Mingo said Jacob used to enjoy taking family members fishing and camping as often as he could. Having had such a big impact on the local community, there are calls for a permanent memorial to honour Mr Mingo's life as an "ambassador for Carnarvon". "There's been talk of a mural going up in town — that would be great," Ms Jacomelli said. The Shire of Carnarvon is currently assessing council policies around memorials. Ms Oullette said the best way to remember him would be to follow his example. Mr Mingo will be remembered at a funeral service in Carnarvon on August 23.
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
Firefighters return to Australia after battling Canadian wildfires
Aron Burnett has spent decades fighting bushfires as a member of the Katanning Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service in Western Australia. In addition to defending his town, 290 kilometres south of Perth, from flames, he has been deployed to Bremer Bay, Esperance and Redmond in WA, and twice to NSW. But the leading firefighter never expected to receive a call asking him to help battle Canada's second-worst wildfire season on record. "My heart stopped for a second there," Mr Burnett said. "I had been working towards an international deployment for quite some time." Australia and Canada have a longstanding fire response relationship, which has become increasingly important with worsening fire seasons. Mr Burnett was one of 21 volunteer and career firefighters and Parks and Wildlife service personnel from WA who were deployed to Canada in June. The team was first stationed at a remote logging camp near Bison Lake in Alberta and flown by helicopter to the fireground each day. The work was physically demanding, with the teams covering 15 to 20 kilometres each day. "You have to carry all your tools, your backpack, your food, your water; it's all got to be carried and you can be walking for kilometres," he said. "Our days were 16 hours long; we would typically do 12 to 14 hours on the fire ground and then when we come back for a couple of hours to reset, repack and wash clothes." In the evening, Mr Burnett said they were refuelled in true Canadian fashion. "We were definitely very well fed and on one particular night that I remember we got pork ribs with maple syrup glaze that was definitely, definitely a meal to have," he said. "You had access to maple syrup just about every night, you could have it on your dessert, you could have it on your dinner, I'm pretty sure they drink the stuff. "The Canadians were very accommodating, very polite, always thanking you for your service, they were very appreciative that we were there." After two weeks, and a few days of rest, the WA contingent shifted to an out-of-control blaze at Keg River. There they worked with a NSW crew to bring the fire under control and contain it — an achievement Mr Burnett was proud to be part of. "It was a big moment," he said. "It's very rewarding to be able to go and help local crews and to know that you're accomplishing something for somebody else." Albany Parks and Wildlife firefighter David Cronin, another member of the WA contingent, said he was glad to alleviate his northern hemisphere counterparts. "With the drought conditions, there's so many [fires] so the fatigue loading on the local staff in the province is too much," he said.
