Francis Lookout Burial Ground

Francis Lookout Burial Ground

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Posted 2013-05-03 by Julian Gronebergfollow

For a fascinating glimpse into one of the pioneering families of Brisbane, visit the simple but cute heritage site of in Corinda on Dewar Terrace, in Brisbane's south-west corner.

This is no ordinary cemetery. It's a burial ground for the Francis family who were one of the first families to settle in Corinda, all the way back in 1862.

History of the Francis Lookout

The Francis family purchased a huge swathe of land for farming and agricultural use which extended almost 25 acres. This land including a sizable chunk along the Brisbane River and extends back past where the lookout still stands today.


The cemetery was established in 1863 when tragically their youngest son Clement died and one acre of the land was set aside. Today, five graves of the Francis family are situated together surrounded by white hardwood fencing. The most recent member of the Francis was Mary Francis, who was the wife of the family's oldest son Richard, who was buried here in 1937.


There are 10 graves in total in the cemetery today with a rumoured 11 gravesite which of which the site is unidentified. This history of this important Brisbane family raised a lot of questions. What was life like for this family in the early settlement era? Why did their youngest son Clement die so tragically? And who was buried at the eleventh grave site? Unfortunately I had more questions than answers.

The Lychgate


One of the most notable features at the is a historic Lychgate, which is a traditional English-style churchyard gate structure complete with roof, and in this case, seating. The word lych gate is derived from the old English word lich which means quite literally 'corpse.' Luckily though they stuck with the Lychgate, since in my opinion, corpse gate just doesn't have the same ring to it.

The Francis Lookout Lychgate was erected in 1902 by the Francis matriarch Angela Francis, on the hilltop which she called 'God's Acre' in honour of her late husband. Today there is a plaque with information about the Francis family and commemorating the unusual Lych-Gate.

How I found the Francis Lookout

Considered to be well known and a well-loved landmark by locals, I literally stumbled upon Francis Lookout by chance after a leisurely Sunday adventure through the nearby Sherwood Arboretum, which is definitely worth a visit. I saw a grassy knoll and a picnic spot, the churchyard lychgate and what looked like some very old headstones. Needless to say I was intrigued. Glad that I bothered to pull over, I was greeted with some fantastic views of the Brisbane skyline extending back towards the northern Suburbs. Rarely had I seen the city at this perspective.


For those wanting a unique perspective of the Brisbane CBD and a little piece of history from one of early Brisbane's most influential families, not to mention a charming picnic spot covered by towering Eucalyptus trees, this place demands that you call in for a visit. Like me, you'll feel like you've discovered it all on your own, when it fact it's been awaiting your discovery since way back in 1862.

#western_suburbs
#picnic_spots
#outdoor
#memorials
#history
#corinda
%wnbrisbane
163843 - 2023-06-14 22:45:02

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