The idea of a new district cemetery has been around for a number of years.  Back in the early 1950's the Waipukurau Cemetery was found to be short of room for burials and this had not been the first time it had happened, on three previous occasions it had got to the situation where more land was required, each time being save by land purchased from the Waipukurau Racing Club.  However there came a time when there was no further land to purchase due to housing being built on the surrounding boundaries.  As many of the families being buried in the Waipukurau Cemetery came from within the Central Hawke's Bay District, in 1953 with agreement from all the Council's of the day land was investigated in the Hatuma area for a District Wide Cemetery; however after a geotechnical report was done on the land it was discovered to be too wet to be used as a Cemetery.

A search for a new district cemetery site began again in early 1996 when it was found that the Waipukurau and Otane Cemeteries were reaching their limit for burials.  Numerous sites were looked at and the land purchased in 2007, consisting of 1.6101 hectares situated just beyond the Waipawa Cemetery, has now become the CHB District Cemetery.  It was declared Cemetery Reserve Status in 2010.  The ownership of this land can be traced back to 1879 with the first owner being one of the first pioneers of the Waipawa District:

 William Rathbone  1879 to 1908

Mrs Lissie Rathhbone 1908 to 1914

James Cullinane 1914 to 1916

Rhoda M Limbrick 1916 to 1920

John Walker and on his death the Walker Estate 1920 to 1997

Ken Bell 1997 to 2007

On Monday 26 March 2012 the new CHB District Cemetery was consecrated and blessed by Maori of the local Iwi and Church Ministers of the local churches.  Officiating in the blessings were Kaumatua tangata whenua (an elder for this area), Henare Hutana along with Mrs Judy Butler, Reverend Father Boco and Maori Pastor John Flavell who represented all the local churches.  His Worship the Mayor Peter Butler gave a short history of the land.

You can view the concept plans of the new CHB District Cemetery here

You can view an overhead view of the new CHB District Cemetery site here