Vandals have destroyed some of the oldest graves in the region in a malicious attack at Wollongong Cemetery.
The Wesleyan Presbyterian section, on the corner of Kenny St and Fox Ave, looked like it had been hit by a cyclone when the Mercury visited yesterday.
Heavy 1.5m-tall headstones had been pushed over, causing tombstones to cave in and leaving interiors exposed.
Decorative vases as well as other features had been senselessly smashed.
The name "Calum" had been carved into one headstone.
Some of the graves date to the 1800s. They had survived almost two centuries of damage from wind and weather but they crumbled under the vandals' spite.
Wollongong police Acting Sergeant Ray Holmes said about 45 headstones had been desecrated during the attack. The rampage had occurred between 3.30pm on Wednesday and 9.30am yesterday.
Police do not know whether the damage was inflicted by one person or many and have no suspects.
"They desecrated 45 headstones by smashing and kicking them over in the old Wesleyan section of Wollongong Cemetery," Sgt Holmes said. "To the officers involved in the investigation, there appears to be no motive, just a senseless attack on grave sites."
Illawarra Historical Society honorary president Carol Herben has spent many years researching the cemetery, the last pioneer burial ground in the Illawarra, and said she was "horrified" by the damage.
"We have lost a huge part of our history - we have got convicts buried in that cemetery," she said.
Mrs Herben said the section, established in 1844, was the final resting place of many Illawarra pioneers.
These included three miners killed in the Mt Kembla mine disaster - William Varcoe Bray, Henry James and William Charles Woodroof.
Another disaster victim was a Mr McPhee, who perished in a shipping disaster off Wollongong Harbour in 1860.
Other notables buried at the cemetery include members of the Cram, Osborne and Wiseman families.
There was also Catherine Bright and her 13-year-old son.
"Bright's store was in Crown St where Crown Central is today and it was an emporium-type store that had all the merchandise and was the biggest retail store in Wollongong," Mrs Herben said.
"The uniqueness of the cemetery also is that usually headstones are uniform - they either face east for the morning sun, or they face north or south.
"But this one is unique because they face in any of the four points of the compass."
Wollongong City Council's property and recreation manager, Peter Coyte, described the attack as a tragedy for the community.
"This is the oldest part of the cemetery and the damage is serious," Mr Coyte said.
"Some of the headstones look to be beyond repair."
A development application was lodged by the council last year to erect a fence around the cemetery to help protect it from vandals.
Late last night, police canvassed the area, questioning residents on whether they had any information about the attack or had seen anyone acting suspiciously near the cemetery.Anyone with information is urged to contact Wollongong police on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Email a friend