GPS plotting at cemeteries

Finding a loved one’s grave may be easier in future thanks to the help of modern technology.

One of the ongoing projects for Council’s cemetery administrator is correcting the information and, sometimes the position of, graves on the Cemeteries Smart Map.

“This is important because we want to present accurate information to the descendants of those buried in our cemeteries,” Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Officer Kiri Whiteman said.

There are many unmarked graves in Marlborough cemeteries and often family members want to arrange a plaque or headstone, sometimes many decades after burial, so accurate maps are key.

Over the past year a GPS receiver has been used to plot the visible structures within the older areas of Marlborough’s cemeteries.

This information is available on Council’s internal field maps, along with photos to help in checking accuracy.

“We have done some plotting in seven of the eight Council-administered cemeteries,” Kiri said.

“Fairhall was not included as it did not require any plot adjustments due to it being so new - it was developed in the 1980s. We used the GPS receiver, which is accurate within centimetres, rather than metres - accuracy necessary for plotting a cemetery.”

This information is available through the Cemeteries smart map
Go to the Cemeteries smart map