The objectives of the research were to :-
| 1. | Confirm the existence of the burial ground |
| 2. | Determine the location of the burial ground |
| 3. | Determine the people buried there. |
The steps taken were as follows :-
| a. | The initial information which commenced this search was a typed note in the Holden Collection at the Geelong Historical Records Centre. This note stated that "At Ocean Grove … [Grannie Ferris] … was buried in a tiny cemetery with some other early settlers (including some infants) just to the left of the main road where it reaches the top of the cutting, above the great swamp". |
| b. | Jean Hose from Ocean Grove remembered the location of the burial ground and confirmed the above information and that the burial ground was located on Pacey's Hill. |
| c. | Maps and Shire Rates and Valuations were checked to confirm that the land known as Pacey's Hill was previously occupied by the Ferris and Chambers families. |
| d. | Discussions with Myrtle Filbay, President of the Historical Society and lifetime resident of Leopold resulted in contact with descendant and associated families who provided information, diaries, letters, the "Chambers Chronicles", and details on a plaque laid at the site in 1989 by descendants of those buried. |
| e. | The following surnames were subsequently identified as possible burials : Ferris, Chambers, Matchim (and variations), Luckow, Fox, Ling, Thomas, Harding. |
| f. | Bellarine Historical Society files were checked for the relevant surnames / families. |
| g. | Birth, Death and Marriage indexes were checked for the relevant surnames / families with particular emphasis on death records. |
| h. | Cemetery records were checked for burials associated with the death records to eliminate those which could be accounted for in local cemeteries. |
| i. | Geelong Advertiser indexes were checked for the relevant surnames / families. |
| j. | A field trip was organised to the presumed location :-
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| k. | Cross-checked "lone burials" file prepared by Dianne Hughes of the Geelong Historical Records Centre with the list of possible burials and death indexes - the burial ground was identified as "Newington Cemetery" from the death registers. |
| l. | Checked burial information on death registers with the assistance of Dianne Hughes and John Scarce from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for some deaths not included in the "lone burials" file. |
| m. | Investigated in more depth the plaque laid by descendants in 1989 which had been covered over following ploughing of the area. It was found that Jim Barry who was involved in the setting of the plaque had drawn a plan showing its location in relation to the house and fence (See Photo Gallery 7). |
| n. | A further field trip was arranged with the assistance of a metal detector resulting in the plaque being found in the same location as previously identified as the burial ground. |
The following sources were used :-
- Pioneer Register, Bellarine Historical Society
- Photograph, Family files etc., Bellarine Historical Society
- Barry Diary, Bellarine Historical Society
- Queenscliff / Point Lonsdale Cemetery Register Index, Bellarine Historical Society
- Shire of Bellarine Rates and Valuations Books, Geelong Historical Records Centre
- Geelong Advertiser Indexes, Geelong Historical Records Centre
- "Lone Burials" file, Geelong Historical Records Centre
- Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong Cemetery Register Indexes on microfiche
- Vic Pioneers Births, Deaths & Marriages on CD-Rom plus microfiche
- "Chambers Chronicles", by Ada Beale
The following people contributed information and assistance :-
- Jean Hose - lifetime resident of Ocean Grove
- Ted & Marjorie Fox - lifetime residents of Newington and now Ocean Grove
- Jim & Bob Barry - lifetime residents of Newington
- Connie Cook - (lifetime?) resident of Wallington
- Edna & Bon McLean of Clifton Springs, and related to the Chambers / Renolds families
- Myrtle Filbay - lifetime resident of Leopold and President, Bellarine Historical Society
- Dianne Hughes - Geelong Historical Records Centre and collater of "lone graves" in the district
- Ada Beale, author of "Chambers Chronicles"
- Christine Lampard, Koombahla Park Equestrian Centre
- Susie Zada - researcher
The field excursion team (over various trips) included :-
- Susie Zada, Ocean Grove
- Myrtle Filbay, Leopold
- Bon & Edna McLean, Clifton Springs
- Jim Barry, Wallington
- Marjorie Fox, Ocean Grove
- Irvan Muller, Clifton Springs (with his metal detector!)
