As I was reading the old Victorian cemetery files held by the DHS Cemeteries Unit Archives, I came across a small file on a cemetery proposed at Beckworth, which would appear to have been situated near Clunes, Victoria. In November 1859 a number of residents wrote to the President of the Board of Lands and Works, from the Stirling Hotel, in Beckworth. "The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the Parish of Beckworth humbly shewith that there is a large agricultural district, with a population very much scattered. That in some portions of the district the people are very far removed from any place of Worship, from any school house, and from any place of burial for the dead - the distance being in many cases, from four to five miles; also, that at some seasons of the year, the state of the roads is so bad that it is impossible for children to travel to school, and they are, in consequence deprived of instruction, by the ordinary means of Day and Sabbath Schools. In these circumstances, we, your humble petitioners beg to approach your honourable Board, and pray that you will take these matters into your favourable consideration, and be pleased to grant us a portion of land as a site, whereon to erect a suitable school house and Chapel and form a churchyard or cemetery." The petition was signed by 14 petitioners. On 30 November 1859 after consideration by Board of Public Health a recommendation of 10 acres of land be set aside for a general cemetery at Beckworth noted on a plan prepared by the Board. The map shows that the cemetery was part of the Clunes Pre emptive Section. The cemetery land was near Section: 1 of the Section. The last section of the file notes that on 12/12/1859 the recommendation went to the Governor in Council who approved the site on 19/12/1859. After that the old file ceases. I was interested in knowing if anything happened regarding this proposed cemetery and if there were any burials in it? Looking at the old map in the file I was curious if the cemetery might have been picked up by Clunes as the cemetery for the area. Just a thought. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers, David