THE FRIENDS OF SYMONDS STREET CEMETERY

The Friends of Symonds Street Cemetery Inc. (FSSC) main aim is to protect, preserve, enhance, restore, inform and educate the public about Symonds Street Cemetery. The Symonds Street Cemetery is the oldest municipal burial ground in New Zealand and is situated to the east and west of Symonds Street in central Auckland. A small committee runs the FSSC - to read more about the members see here.

Symonds Street Cemetery is a historic cemetery and park in central Auckland, New Zealand. It is in 5.8 hectares of deciduous forest taking in both Grafton and Newton Gullies by the corner of Symonds Street and Karangahape Road, and is crossed by the Grafton Bridge. The street (and by extension the cemetery) are named for William Cornwallis Symonds, a British Army officer prominent in the early colonisation of New Zealand. It has a Historic Place – Category I listing with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Maintenance and administration of the cemetery is provided by the Auckland Council.

FSSC work closely with Auckland Council and see our role as an advisory group. We are an advocacy group that will work to ensure Symond’s Street Cemetery is developed into a Heritage Park for contemplation, reflection and appropriate activities- of which all Aucklanders can be proud.