Rookwood Cemetery - Lidcombe, NSW

Abid Iqbal

I recently visited Rookwood Cemetery to pay my respects to a dear hiking buddy who passed away from natural causes. The place is vast, and once you step inside, it feels like you're in a different world. The serene atmosphere and the quiet solitude offer a profound sense of peace.

Walking through the cemetery, seeing the photos on the graves makes you reflect on the lives of these wonderful souls. It reminds me of the Quranic verse, “Every soul shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full” (Quran 3:185). This visit served as a poignant reminder of the temporality of this world and the reality of the hereafter.

Visiting often helps one remember that this world is just a fleeting illusion, and true life begins after death. We should strive to live a life worthy enough to find a place in Jannah. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Live in this world as if you are a traveler or a wayfarer.”

Rookwood Cemetery is a place where you can reflect on these truths, and I highly recommend visiting to gain a deeper appreciation of our ultimate journey.

Alex A

Rookwood was an amazing place to walk through. It’s massive and feels like it goes on forever. I was there for an art installation I was commissioned to do in an exhibition that is set up there each year. There is so much history to be discovered and it was just amazing to see such an enormous place filled with memories.

Brenden Wood

Most people visit Rookwood Cemetery on what could be regarded as deeply emotional days. They drive to a particular part of the cemetery, stand around with family and friends, and then witness the final moments of person’s life as their body is laid to rest in the cemetery grounds. But, Rookwood is a lot more than a burial site. The cemetery is also a historical record of Sydney’s modern history. If you get a chance, visit the cemetery and explore an era that you haven’t visited. Maybe join a tour group to learn about the history of the site. Visit the Sydney War Cemetery or the Jewish WWII memorial. I cycle through the cemetery several times a week. There a regular bus service into the cemetery. And there’s plenty of on-street and off-street parking through the cemetery.

Jacques Bergh

This is a great attraction that is a little out if the ordinary but no less spectacular than some of Sydney’s other sights. What a wonderful place. All life’s metaphors at work in one place. The rich burried next to paupers, old graves taken back by nature. The cemetery is huge and has many chapels and buildings in its grounds. There is also an annual installation art exhibition held here. The plant and bird life is much better than expected.

Mightymouse X

One of Sydney’s most peaceful parklands. Great for a quiet stroll amongst the older headstones. The most garish sections visually would probably have to be the newer plots of the Chinese and Jewish sections - a visual overload of holier-than-thou / biggest most glossy headstone competition tackiness. But the older-growth forested sections are lovely. Highly recommended.

German Cerda

Every time l come to visit my friend, l walk around The cemetery. In the 50’s and 60’s people just to decorate their love ones graves with beautiful porcelain figurines.

Lara Taylor

On arrival, I felt a bit weirded out, to be honest. It was, like, ‘what am I doing in a Cemetery?’, but it was awesome. Very big - you can’t possibly do it all in a day. I started with the Islamic section, went on the the Catholic section - where I discovered that my place of employment (st Vincent de Paul) had its own section - and after being moved to tears by the quiet grave plaques of people who had no home and possibly no family/friends to bury them, I decided that was enough for one day. But I will go back. The drive out took me past large tombs - also Catholic - and beautiful, the Quakers section, the Buddhist section and many others I haven’t mentioned. Moving and deeply intriguing ?

Penny Christie

A beautiful place to visit your loved ones who have passed. It’s a huge cemetery but easy to find your way around and well maintained.