This cemetery is located on private land and is advised owners will prosecute. Contact Mackay Historial Society for help to access site.

**This is being quoted from the Mackay Historial Society Records in order to be exact in the history of this cemetery**

"With Queensland Legislation being introduced to reduce South Sea Islander labour in the Queensland sugar industry, it was decided to try other indentured labour to help minimise costs to the sugar plantations.

The first Javanese labourers arrived in Mackay in 1885. They were brought here by the management of C.S.R. Homebush Mill and the Palms Mill. Most of these 200+ immigrants came from around a small village in Western Java near Jakarta called "Cikande" (pronounced chik-un-day). There were Malayan labourers already working in the district and the Javanese were incorrectly referred to as "Malays" as well. The cemetery has been incorrectly referred to in the past as the "Malayan Cemetery". The Javanese like the South Sea Islanders usually buried their dead in lone graves on the plantations where they worked. The Manager of The Palms Mill in 1913 Mr. John W. Inverarity understood that the Malays and Javanese being practising Muslims, buried their dead differently to Europeans and set aside some land for the Javanese to create a burial ground on the northern banks of Bakers Creek.

Javanese buried their dead in a small alcove built in to the side of the grave walls before the earth was filled in. Another feature of this cemetery was the use of wooden "Maisuns" which were a carved piece of timber used to indicate the burial like a headstone. Unfortunately a lot of these have rotted away but some are still in existence.

This cemetery is located on private farm land which was part of the old Palms Estate and was neglected for many years until recently when local Imam Mr. Barry Hassan with his wife Fay and Mr. Charlie Johnston lovingly restored the cemetery."

23 burial according to Mackay Burial Register
37 burials found research by the Hassans