The Old Mersey Bluff Cemetery, also known as the Bluff Cemetery or Devonport Bluff Cemetery, holds significant historical and heritage value for the city of Devonport, Tasmania. Established in 1886 on a 13-acre site at the corner of what is now Bluff Road and Coles Beach Road, the cemetery was created to serve the residents of Formby, the area now known as Devonport, before which the deceased were ferried across the river to East Devonport or taken to the Congregational Cemetery Church at the Don.
The cemetery became the final resting place for many of Devonport’s early pioneers and notable figures, including George Renison Bell, who discovered the tin mine at Zeehan, and John Jacques, the first lighthouse keeper of the Bluff Lighthouse. Other notable interments include Beaumont Laycock, who initiated the cemetery’s construction, and pioneer businessmen and builders like John Luck, David Cocker, Caleb Hillier, and Robert Masterman.
The cemetery was officially closed in 1922, but burials continued in reserved family plots for an additional 25 years. By the time of the First World War, the cemetery had become full, leading to its closure. The area underwent significant changes in 1963 when it was converted into parkland due to ongoing degradation and maintenance issues, with the remaining headstones relocated to one corner of the site.
Today, the site is a grassy parkland, with a small group of headstones preserved in a fenced area on a hill near the Bluff Caravan Park, serving as a poignant reminder of the area’s history and those who contributed to the development of Devonport. This transformation allows the space to continue being a part of the community while still honoring its past.
