Shepparton Cemetery has become populated with bindii and local residents are frustrated with its spread, complaining that it covers a good portion of the ground.
Shepparton local Barbara Welsh said she was disappointed by the state of the cemetery.
“I was horrified when I went there on Sunday,” she said.
“My mum and dad are buried there and I was horrified at the condition of the cemetery. Weeds are so high they are waist high and bindiis have grown and spread through half the cemetery.
“It’s not just me, there’s a lot of people complaining about it. I know of four families that have spoken to me about it.”
Former City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Chris Hazelman said his sister and wife went to the cemetery during the Christmas period and were shocked at the spread of the weeds.
“I went for a visit shortly after and I can’t recall seeing it in such state as it was,” Mr Hazelman said.
“So, I rang the trust and got a good response and they said they’d do something about it in the areas I mentioned. When I came back a week or two later, the overgrowth of bindii was still there from green to brown and made accessing the paths quite impossible.
“In the area I referred to, to be honest and fair, some work was taken in that area but being bindii it grew out of hand.”
Shepparton Cemetery Trust chairperson Margaret Stewart said it had been a difficult season with the heat and rapid growth of bindii in the area.
“We are doing our very best out there with the weather, which hasn't been very helpful to the workers ... We are spraying for the bindii then digging them out,” Mrs Stewart said.
“We only have one full-time man and two casual men out at the cemetery and in a week that amounts to 73 hours of work.“
Shepparton Cemetery Trust is a not-for-profit organisation, with all board members working as volunteers.
Mrs Stewart said the little income they generated was insufficient to afford all necessary equipment at times and with limited staff, keeping on top of the maintenance could also be difficult.
In addition to maintenance work, Mrs Stewart said the trust had also been working on expansions and renovations around the cemetery.
A new lawn section for burials, new memorial for the crematorium, expansion of the mausoleum section and extending the footpaths are just some of the improvements the volunteers have been working on.
Mrs Stewart encouraged locals to get involved and help out at the cemetery as a way to ease the burden on the workers and support the community.
“We are volunteer trust members and we are trying to manage the cemetery as best we can for the Shepparton community,” she said.
“Any offer of help as a volunteer we would be very very grateful for.”
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Shepparton Cemetery can contact Margaret Stewart on 0427 211 947.