World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
More than 600 unmarked graves found in far-west New South Wales
Central Darling Shire Council found more than 600 unmarked graves in the cemeteries at Menindee and White Cliffs, in far-west New South Wales.
Dave Hunter used ground-penetrating radar to locate the graves without digging.
The council hired him in July 2025 to search for lost graves, which can go unmarked when records or markers are lost over time.
Council staff are trying to identify the people buried there by speaking with locals and checking records and archives.
Identifying them could help honour the dead and their families, as well as support future cemetery planning.
The council is considering searches in other communities, including Wilcannia and Tilpa.
The Central Darling Shire Council has found more than 600 unmarked graves in far-west New South Wales.
Dave Hunter used ground-penetrating radar to locate more than 300 burial sites in each of Menindee and White Cliffs.
The searches did not disturb the earth, and the technology detects soil disturbance rather than bodies or skeletal remains.
The council is working to identify those buried by speaking to locals and searching records and archives.
The council is considering similar searches in Wilcannia and Tilpa.
- Who
- The Central Darling Shire Council commissioned Dave Hunter to search for lost graves.
- What
- More than 600 unmarked graves were identified using ground-penetrating radar.
- When
- The council contracted Hunter in July 2025. The findings were reported in October 2026.
- Where
- Menindee and White Cliffs, in far-west New South Wales.
- Why
- The council wanted to find lost graves and identify those buried, as well as support cemetery planning and honour the dead.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Central Darling Shire Council contracted Dave Hunter to search for lost graves in Menindee and White Cliffs.
Hunter found more than 300 burial sites in each place, connected to the existing cemeteries.
ABC Australia reported that the council was working to identify people buried in the unmarked graves.
- Total found
- More than 600 unmarked graves
- Menindee
- More than 300 burial sites
- White Cliffs
- More than 300 burial sites
- Technology
- Ground-penetrating radar
- Council
- Central Darling Shire Council
- Contract date
- July 2025
What people are saying
It is literally just the hole that has been dug in the ground that this technology detects.
Particularly in Menindee, it was really eye-opening to see so many.
If I could do the majority [of the graves], just to put a name to these people, [that] would be absolutely fantastic.
It's respectful to the people that are laid to rest, and to families and relatives.