THE Council will start urgent work to protect plaques at Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery as areas of the graveyard suffer from flooding.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the flooding risked damaging plaques and stopping families from visiting the resting places of their loved ones.

“Council has been working with Norwood Park, who manage the site on behalf of the council, on a long-term solution to the flooding problem that has long plagued the cemetery,” she said.

“By lifting the plaques on to a bed of decorative stones, which will be surrounded by a concrete edge, we hope to offer a long-lasting solution for future generations to visit their loved ones regardless of the weather.”

In January, residents spoke about the “disgusting and appalling” state of the grounds at the Willowbank site.

“The cemetery has ducks, snakes and mosquitoes – and there are pools of stagnant water, overgrown grass, sunken headstones, sunken graves, and headstones that can’t be found,” they told the Tribune.

“There were broken bins, and driveways and graves covered in grass clippings.

“The final insult was seeing council noticeboards justify the mess and mismanagement by blaming the rain.

“I don’t want to know about staff shortages, the weather, a change of management, broken machinery, or drainage problems; I have heard every excuse over more than 30 years.”

Ipswich Cemeteries has written to all known burial rights holders in the rows seeking feedback before the trial and there are signs at the cemetery to inform visitors of the proposed work.

Work is expected to start on the trial for two rows in Block One of Section 2, Rows 33 to 34 at the end of May and is anticipated to be completed by the end of June.

Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery is one of five that Norwood Park Pty operates on behalf of Ipswich City Council.

The cemetery is the largest operational graveyard in Ipswich, with more than 14,800 burial and ash placements. More than 1,500 burial plots were added, recently.