Hi Everyone, Many thanks Sharyn for the article. As a Pommy in the UK I'd like to express concern and sympathy and for the proposed "cemetery to parkland" scheme as this is very close to my heart. I hope my comments will not be seen as interfering but as helpful suggestions - and anyway you've probably got this up-and-running already.<g> At the risk of having boomerangs whizzing past my ears, here goes :- Any action needs to start now as it will soon be summer and many people slow up/stop researching in the hot weather - especially when you have such wonderful weather. (envious grin) How about :- 1. Using the headstones as a fence so they can be viewed. 2. A plan of the graveyard is a "must" - it could be that relatives were buried beside each other. 3. Rather than Government officials (with no sympathy/knowledge of genealogy) undertaking the recording and photographing of headstones, why not ask them for "grant" ie. get them to finance you to do this work on their behalf ? The experience and knowledge of genealogists must be brought to bear. (The fiasco we had with the UK 1901 Census is something that needs to be avoided. Genealogists were not consulted, or listened to, before the work was started which resulted in absolute shambles and a flawed source document.) :-(( 4. How about getting the support of all the Ozzie Family History Societies (FHS) ? If the FHS and their members give support, you may be able to get them to help as volunteers. Also, other genealogists (non-FHS members) might be interested in supporting/helping you. How about a poster in the Record Offices. libraries etc. 5. Would suggest forming a team to co-ordinate a "pressure group" representing genealogists (could be 3 people or less) - so, when talking to the Press/media, you are seen to be speaking with one voice rather than as individuals. The "pressure group co-ordinators" need not be in the same area of the country - co-ordinate by email/phone. Get out a press release to all the FHS / websites telling everyone about the pressure group. Perhaps have a meeting when most of the "setting up" work has been established - possibly in a graveyard, or at a convenient place. Take photo of attendees, and do another press release. Possibly get local press along to the meeting + photographer <g> Get supporters along too. Perhaps FH Societies could advise on where a "cemetery to parkland" scheme is planned, and the pressure group could support the local objectors. 6. Would suggest the pressure group establishes how they propose to do the recording and photographing, and then discuss this with the Government (Ms Pike ?) with suitable pre-publicity supplied by the pressure group with a follow up after the meeting.<g> That way, if a Recording Procedure for "cemetery to parkland" scheme could be established and uniformly followed throughout Oz. If successful, if could be adopted/adapted and used elsewhere. This is, fighting your corner and working with the "enemy" to achieve the result.<bg> If this is not practical, Recording Procedure forms could be created by the pressure group to ensure that all the information is recorded. 7. Keeping the Family History Societies and their members up-to-date with the Government's/your current position. Put articles in their (FHS) magazines or on their websites - anywhere in fact.<g> Get the local FHS members to write objecting letters to their local/national Press. 8. Would suggest that individual letters are also sent to the person concerned (Ms Pike ?). Emails may be quicker and acceptable to the Government, but, (I believe), there would no way for you to check/prove how many emails they had received. Not good, when you are trying to establish the volume of your support.<vbg> 9. Here in the UK, individual letters seem to carry more weight rather than a lot of signatures on a petition. It may be the opposite with you.<g> 10. A "list of points to be included" could be available to help people to write their letter/email. It may be that a uniform letter with an individual's signature on the bottom would not have the same impact. Here, they can be looked upon as a single objection. 11. Are there any Government or influential/famous people doing genealogy ? If so, how about getting them on board ? 12. Could/would a famous person's grave be affected by a "cemetery to parkland" scheme ? There's nothing like publicity and a popular famous person.<g> 13. How about getting the support/advice of the Ozzie Federation of FHS ? Contact existing websites with cemetery information for guidance ? 14. As the "cemetery to parkland" scheme affects other nationalities buried in the graveyard - the issue could possibly be widened to genealogists worldwide.<g> Therefore, you could possibly contact the Society of Genealogists and Federation of Family History Societies (both in the UK) as well as FH societies in UK and USA.<g> 15. Other (non-genie) people could be objecting eg. those with graves in cemeteries etc. The pressure group could get in contact with them, and perhaps co-ordinate your efforts in the fight. I hope I haven't offended anyone by the above as I know things are done differently. I have made interfering suggestions as Government "improvements" like this can never be re-instated. FYI, we are helping to record headstones for our local FHS in Sussex as well as recording and photographing Akehurst + variants headstones (worldwide where possible <g>). In one churchyard, the broken headstones have been used as crazy paving in the pathways around the church ... sob ... sob. Unfortunately, each piece has no connection to its neighbour. There is no easy way to record the graveyard information - just hard work by a dedicated few with the help of others, all of whom will probably be the unsung heroes of future researchers - but that's genealogy.<g> If I can help - please let me know. I will now, very slowly, bring my head below the parapet.<g> Regards and apologies for the length of this email. Judith judith.akhurst@one-name.org