One of Maitland's oldest yet little known about cemeteries is in desperate need of remediation, even after thousands of dollars in State funding have been allocated in the past for its repair.
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Some of Maitland's leading forefathers are buried in Oakhamption Cemetery, the historic site now labelled as a city disgrace.
Graves and tombstones are overgrown with waist high weeds and deep undergrowth making it hard to see the site from Oakhampton Road.
The only thing that identifies the cemetery is a white sign, a partial fence and a gate that can only be opened with great force.
The ancestors of prominent Maitland family names like Arnott, Barden, Gillies, Hall, Ledsam, Taylor and Wolstenholme are buried at the site which is nestled on the Maitland side of the Hunter River.
Maitland councillor Ken Wethered said the site is a disgrace and its state of disrepair is out of hand.
"I'll certainly be chasing things up to get this remediated," Cr Wethered said.
"I think it's a case of out of sight out of mind for the cemetery which is the final resting place of many well known Maitland pioneers," he said.
Former Maitland councillor Ray Fairweather had campaigned during his term on council to have the site restored and cleaned up.
"I drove past last week and I was disgusted at the state of the cemetery," Mr Fairweather said.
"I did have an interest in seeing Oakhampton Cemetery cleaned up. Some work was done including a new fence but unfortunately they don't follow up with proper maintenance. It is of historical importance to the city and should be well maintained," he said.
"Council employs contractors to maintain the city's cemeteries."
In September 2000 Fairfax Media reported that the State Government approved a $22,500 heritage grant, to be distributed over four years, towards the planning of conservation work on both Maitland's Glebe Cemetery and the former Methodist Cemetery at Oakhampton.
In June 2015 Maitland council released a draft cemetery policy it said would ensure heritage-listed cemeteries will remain protected in the future. The policy, which was placed on public exhibition, outlined the council's role and responsibilities at its nine cemeteries.
Four of these are still operating, while the Glebe, Hiland Crescent, Maitland Jewish, Oswald, and Oakhampton cemeteries are considered closed.
Eight of the cemeteries are heritage listed and recognised as being of local significance, and the Glebe Cemetery and Maitland Jewish Cemetery are also listed on the state's heritage register.
The first recorded burial at Oakhampton Cemetery was in 1851.
