During the public forum of the Cromwell Community Board on Tuesday, heritage advocate Odette Hopgood told the board concerned residents had formed Friends of the Cromwell Cemetery, hoping to address the state of the site.
The cemetery — which sits between Cromwell’s industrial area and Highlands Motorsport Park — was a "rabbit-ravaged, windswept, exposed site". Many of the older gravesites had been damaged by rabbit burrows, Ms Hopgood said.
She was particularly saddened by the state of the grave of the unknown goldminer, who was laid to rest in the cemetery 140 years after his death.
"It stings.
"Our aim is for the cemetery to honour and respect those [departed] by being restored to a well-maintained and cared-for site."
The group wanted to work collaboratively with the council to continue rabbit poisoning, establish rabbit fencing and plant berms to reduce sound, she said.
"It would be nice to work together as a team.
"The best we can do is beautify it and sound-protect it as much as we can."
Acting board chairwoman Cheryl Laws agreed the cemetery was "very sorry looking".
Cr Sarah Browne said she was pleased to see people coming to the board wanting to contribute to actionable solutions.
Board member Wally Sanford said the board needed to "just not put anything in the way" of the group getting done what it wanted to get done.
