Reviving the Estonian Section at Rookwood

Hi, my name is Lachlan Bell, I'm an artist, arts worker and plant lover with a passion for nature and community. I'm organising this fundraiser to help raise money to revitalise the Estonian niche wall section at Rookwood Cemetery (consecrated by the Sydney Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in 1968).

This project aims to preserve Rookwood's natural heritage whilst honouring the memory of our ancestors by creating a respectful sanctuary that celebrates the Cumberland Plains unique and endangered flora. Your support will help us purchase specially-selected native species, repair the ground surface, clean the bricks and undertake essential cleanup efforts to create a beautiful and sustainable garden.

A talgud (an Estonian-style working bee) is planned for Saturday, 15th June from 10am, to both remediate the soil, clean the bricks, plant the plants, rake the area and tidy the site. Any additional work required will take place on Sunday, 16th June.

For donors who donate over $100 to this project, they will receive an signed, unframed illustrated oil pastel print on A3 by me featuring the flora to be planted at Rookwood (in a similar style to below).

Note: GoFundMe suggests a 16% fee per payment, however this is a sliding scale and can be put down to 0% if you want. If you also would prefer not to use your credit card/Apple Pay, you can directly transfer me with the following details:

NAME: BELL L C

BSB: 012295

ACCOUNT: 455652216

NB! Please include your full name (and if you wish to remain anonymous) in the reference section!

To give some context to this fundraiser - from June 2023 I commenced work on a public sculpture for HIDDEN, an outdoor sculpture exhibition held at Rookwood. The work 'Sinililled silmadele' was a living artwork composed of bricks and native plants responding to the Estonian niche wall at Rookwood and the lack of a memorial for those we don't have physical memorials for - a cenotaph for those departed. For several months both Mum and I would clean and tidy the site and prepare it for a dedicated garden bed battling mosquitoes and a resident beehive (a bonus for the future plants!).

The intention for my HIDDEN work was for it to be incorporated into the infrastructure of Rookwood at the end of the show, repurposing the white bricks and plants. Whilst the bricks could not be used, I have been given permission from Allan Taruste at SEEL St. John's Congregation and from Rookwood Management to put the plants in the ground and assist in cleaning the site, removing invasive plants (including Photinia, Agapanthus and Lantana) and remediating the soil and gravel.

Rookwood Cemetery is home to several endemic plants found within two Endangered ecological communities - the Cooks River Castlereagh Ironbark forest and Cumberland Plain Woodland. Within the protected Vegetation Conservation Areas (VCAs) there are two vulnerable flora species – Acacia pubescens and Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens as well as two endangered flora populations – Pomaderris prunifolia and Wahlenbergia multicaulis.

Due to the Estonian Niche walls proximity to one of these VCAs, there is a need to plant carefully and with consideration. Through cross-comparative analysis of 5 NSW Government reports and Rookwood Necropolis' own documentation, I have produced a list of 85 species that are appropriate for the site.

I intend to plant at least 40 of these species within three designated beds at Rookwood alongside the removal of any introduced species. The intention is to recreate and assist in the remediation of the site whilst also planting robust, climate tolerant species that do not require excessive watering and maintenance for longevity.

This fundraiser is to assist in the purchasing of 30 of these various specimens from a home nursery 'Western Sydney Bush Native Nursery' in Canley Vale (https://wsbnnursery.com) as well as for organising the soil, sand, fertiliser and gravel to be delivered and other additional items such as a permanent watering can and rake for visitors.

I hope you can join me in my vision to help remediate the site and bring some life back to this site and important resting place to many in our community. - Lachlan

An itemised list of expenses will be sent to all donors at the end of the project and any additional unused donations will be donated to the The Friends of Rookwood - a community based organisation, made up of volunteers who are passionately interested in the restoration of Rookwood's heritage. (https://friendsofrookwoodinc.org.au)