Options for Helensburgh Cemetery Entrance

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Consultation has concluded

Helensburgh Cemetery's vehicle entrance is damaged and we need your input to decide its future. Our goal is to ensure that Helensburgh Cemetery remains a respectful and accessible place for all.

The cemetery’s vehicle entrance portico was damaged in 2021 by an oversized vehicle, making it unusable. A portico is a structure with a roof supported by columns, often used as a porch or entranceway. In the context of Helensburgh Cemetery, the portico serves as a functional entryway for vehicles. It has been fenced off since it was damaged.

We've been exploring options to repair or remove the portico and want your input. Together, we can find a way forward that respects our community's values, meets our future needs and ensures the cemetery remains a place of pride for all residents. Once we know which option is preferred by the community, we’ll then apply for the required archaeological and heritage approvals for it.

Portico entrance before it was damaged

Portico entrance after it was damaged


Exploring our options

Option A: Remove/demolish the portico entirely

  • Potential benefits:
    • Reconstruction of the sealed access road for improved vehicle entry and exit.
    • Provides an opportunity to design a new entrance that meets current safety and access standards.
    • Entrance gates would be reinstated and link to the new plantings along Cemetery Road.
    • Could be completed sooner than Option B due to some of the initial investigations, e.g. heritage impact, having already been completed.
    • Least expensive option ($235K)
  • Potential challenges:
    • May upset some community members who want it kept and repaired.

Option B: Repair the existing portico and construct new access road

  • Potential benefits:
    • Restores the damaged portico to its original 1960's condition.
    • Lower immediate impact, with minimal changes to the current layout and appearance.
    • Likely to be favoured by those who value preserving the existing structure.
  • Potential challenges:
    • Requires construction of one new access road on the western side of the portico so that oversized vehicles can access the site for maintenance.
    • May involve technical challenges and is more expensive (approximately $280K) due to the need for specialised restoration work and construction of the new access road.
    • Construction of a new road could uncover archaeological issues, such as unidentified grave sites.
    • We’d need to obtain land ownership consent.
    • Requires the removal of a tree and some vegetation.
    • The new access road will come close to existing graves on the western side of the portico.
    • May remain vulnerable to future damage.
    • Could take longer to complete than Option A due to the investigations and approvals required.

Both options need to go through a Development Application process and involve putting in a sealed parking area and heritage interpretative signs about the existing portico. Each option requires archaeological and heritage approvals, which may impact the final outcome.

Find out more

Your voice counts: how you can get involved

Help decide which direction we should take for Helensburgh Cemetery’s entrance by letting us know which option you prefer. We welcome your thoughts regarding each. If you haven't already, please register on this site or log in and then you can participate in one of the following:

  • The quickest way to let us know your preference is via the quick poll.
  • If you have additional comments for us to consider, take the survey as well.

Prefer a printed copy? Visit Helensburgh Library to view printed copies of the draft plans and complete a paper survey. We’ve left reply-paid envelopes with the surveys, so you don’t have to pay for postage.

If none of those work for you, you can also:

  Let's Chat Helensburgh!  

Council is currently working on several projects for the Helensburgh community. We recently announced the location for the new Community Centre & Library and have an update on the ongoing flood recovery works on Tunnel Road.


We’d also like your input into the following proposals, so we’re planning to hold two pop-up sessions where you can chat with us about what’s happening and share your feedback:

  • Options for Helensburgh Cemetery entrance portico
  • Creating Safer Connections Around Helensburgh Train Station
  • Fees and Charges for Community Centre Rooms 2024/25

Drop by the Council marquees we’ll have set up in Charles Harper Park on:

  • Wednesday 4 September, between 2pm and 5pm
  • Saturday 7 September, between 10am and 1pm


Next steps

We want to hear all perspectives to find the best path forward. Community feedback, along with the heritage and environmental approvals process, will be used to decide which option we go with. Once a decision has been made, we’ll share the outcome with all who made a submission. The selected option will be carried out and we’ll provide the community with an update to keep people informed of the progress.

Accessibility and language assistance

If you’re d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech or language difficulty, you can contact us through the National Relay Service. If you need an interpreter, you can contact us through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You’ll need to provide our phone number 02 4227 7111 for either service.

Join the conversation

Share your feedback with us by Monday 16 September 2024. Submissions become public documents and may be viewed by other persons on request. Please read Council’s Privacy Notification before submitting your feedback.

Helensburgh Cemetery's vehicle entrance is damaged and we need your input to decide its future. Our goal is to ensure that Helensburgh Cemetery remains a respectful and accessible place for all.

The cemetery’s vehicle entrance portico was damaged in 2021 by an oversized vehicle, making it unusable. A portico is a structure with a roof supported by columns, often used as a porch or entranceway. In the context of Helensburgh Cemetery, the portico serves as a functional entryway for vehicles. It has been fenced off since it was damaged.

We've been exploring options to repair or remove the portico and want your input. Together, we can find a way forward that respects our community's values, meets our future needs and ensures the cemetery remains a place of pride for all residents. Once we know which option is preferred by the community, we’ll then apply for the required archaeological and heritage approvals for it.

Portico entrance before it was damaged

Portico entrance after it was damaged


Exploring our options

Option A: Remove/demolish the portico entirely

  • Potential benefits:
    • Reconstruction of the sealed access road for improved vehicle entry and exit.
    • Provides an opportunity to design a new entrance that meets current safety and access standards.
    • Entrance gates would be reinstated and link to the new plantings along Cemetery Road.
    • Could be completed sooner than Option B due to some of the initial investigations, e.g. heritage impact, having already been completed.
    • Least expensive option ($235K)
  • Potential challenges:
    • May upset some community members who want it kept and repaired.

Option B: Repair the existing portico and construct new access road

  • Potential benefits:
    • Restores the damaged portico to its original 1960's condition.
    • Lower immediate impact, with minimal changes to the current layout and appearance.
    • Likely to be favoured by those who value preserving the existing structure.
  • Potential challenges:
    • Requires construction of one new access road on the western side of the portico so that oversized vehicles can access the site for maintenance.
    • May involve technical challenges and is more expensive (approximately $280K) due to the need for specialised restoration work and construction of the new access road.
    • Construction of a new road could uncover archaeological issues, such as unidentified grave sites.
    • We’d need to obtain land ownership consent.
    • Requires the removal of a tree and some vegetation.
    • The new access road will come close to existing graves on the western side of the portico.
    • May remain vulnerable to future damage.
    • Could take longer to complete than Option A due to the investigations and approvals required.

Both options need to go through a Development Application process and involve putting in a sealed parking area and heritage interpretative signs about the existing portico. Each option requires archaeological and heritage approvals, which may impact the final outcome.

Find out more

Your voice counts: how you can get involved

Help decide which direction we should take for Helensburgh Cemetery’s entrance by letting us know which option you prefer. We welcome your thoughts regarding each. If you haven't already, please register on this site or log in and then you can participate in one of the following:

  • The quickest way to let us know your preference is via the quick poll.
  • If you have additional comments for us to consider, take the survey as well.

Prefer a printed copy? Visit Helensburgh Library to view printed copies of the draft plans and complete a paper survey. We’ve left reply-paid envelopes with the surveys, so you don’t have to pay for postage.

If none of those work for you, you can also:

  Let's Chat Helensburgh!  

Council is currently working on several projects for the Helensburgh community. We recently announced the location for the new Community Centre & Library and have an update on the ongoing flood recovery works on Tunnel Road.


We’d also like your input into the following proposals, so we’re planning to hold two pop-up sessions where you can chat with us about what’s happening and share your feedback:

  • Options for Helensburgh Cemetery entrance portico
  • Creating Safer Connections Around Helensburgh Train Station
  • Fees and Charges for Community Centre Rooms 2024/25

Drop by the Council marquees we’ll have set up in Charles Harper Park on:

  • Wednesday 4 September, between 2pm and 5pm
  • Saturday 7 September, between 10am and 1pm


Next steps

We want to hear all perspectives to find the best path forward. Community feedback, along with the heritage and environmental approvals process, will be used to decide which option we go with. Once a decision has been made, we’ll share the outcome with all who made a submission. The selected option will be carried out and we’ll provide the community with an update to keep people informed of the progress.

Accessibility and language assistance

If you’re d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech or language difficulty, you can contact us through the National Relay Service. If you need an interpreter, you can contact us through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You’ll need to provide our phone number 02 4227 7111 for either service.

Join the conversation

Share your feedback with us by Monday 16 September 2024. Submissions become public documents and may be viewed by other persons on request. Please read Council’s Privacy Notification before submitting your feedback.

Consultation has concluded

  • Listening to our community: insights gathered during engagement

    Share Listening to our community: insights gathered during engagement on Facebook Share Listening to our community: insights gathered during engagement on Twitter Share Listening to our community: insights gathered during engagement on Linkedin Email Listening to our community: insights gathered during engagement link

    In 2021, the vehicular entrance portico at Helensburgh Cemetery was damaged by an oversized vehicle, rendering it unusable for vehicle access. This incident prompted the need to consider alternative routes and long-term solutions for cemetery access. An engagement process was conducted between 19 August and 16 September 2024 to gather input from the community and key stakeholders. The consultation sought to determine the preferred solution for the damaged portico—whether to keep or remove it—and to explore options for improving access to the cemetery.

    Engagement details
    We sent emails and e-newsletter with a link to the project webpage to key stakeholders. The draft plan for both options and associated materials were made available on the project webpage. A sign with a QR code linking to the engagement webpage was installed near the portico. In-person events were held, including two “Let’s Chat Helensburgh” community information stands so people could speak to the project team about the draft plan and let us know their preference. Council, government representatives and community members promoted the engagement opportunity on social media. People could also access the information from Council’s Customer Service Centre and Helensburgh Library.

    Engagement participation Pop-up at Charles Harper Park, Helensburgh on 7 September 2024
    We invited feedback on the draft plan and heard from 214 respondents. One hundred and forty-six (146) people took part in the online quick poll. We also received two hardcopy surveys, 22 online surveys, seven emails, and one phone call. We had conversations with 44 attendees at community information stands. We met with two members of a local history group. The project webpage had 947 unique views.

    What we heard
    While the online quick poll showed majority support for the portico’s restoration (73%), other submissions indicate there is community division on the preferred option. Strong arguments were made for both demolishing and restoring the portico, with many wanting enhanced cemetery facilities, improved communication, and respect for historical and cultural values.

    Concerns about removal/demolition
    Some survey respondents favoured restoring the portico due to its historical and sentimental value, linking it to Helensburgh’s mining heritage and family ties. There is a view that removing the portico would erase a piece of the town’s identity. Others expressed frustration, believing Council often neglects Helensburgh and its historical landmarks.

    Concerns about restoration
    Conversely, others questioned the portico’s historical relevance, noting its construction in the 1960s and likening it to non-historic structures. Several respondents view it as an eyesore. Concerns were raised about the costs and delays of restoration, as well as potential disturbance to nearby graves. It was suggested to replace the portico with a more functional, modern structure, such as a shelter for visitors.

    Open submissions
    Individual and group submissions echoed similar sentiments. Some advocated for demolishing the portico and replacing it with a more aesthetically pleasing and functional entrance, while also improving cemetery amenities. Others called for maintaining the portico, citing its historical value, but also requested Council investigate the potential for unmarked graves and possible asbestos. At a meeting at Helensburgh Cemetery, members of a local history group discussed the cemetery’s history, including the locations of unmarked sections like the stillborn and destitute areas. The records and knowledge of group members indicate that if option B is chosen (restoring the structure and constructing a new access road), the new road would not disturb any of these unmarked areas.

    Pop-up information stands
    Community engagement through pop-up stands revealed mixed opinions. Some long-term residents supported demolition, viewing the portico as unattractive, while others emphasised its sentimental value. Attendees also raised concerns about safety, historical use, and the overall condition of the cemetery.

    Social media discussions
    The debate continued on social media, where participants balanced emotional attachment to the portico with practical concerns over its structural integrity. Some called for more urgent cemetery maintenance rather than focusing on the portico, while others expressed frustration with Council's slow progress and lack of transparency in decision-making.

    Next steps
    We’ll use this feedback to guide the decision-making process. The final decision will depend on archaeological and heritage approvals, which may affect the outcome. Once a decision is reached, we will share it with the community and continue providing updates as the project progresses.

    Read the full Engagement Report.