Murchison’s Italian Ossario included in the Victorian Heritage Register

HERITAGE... During World War II, 4,000 Italian, German and Japanese Prisoners of War were detained at Murchison. Those who died at Murchison were buried in the local cemetery but floods in 1956 did major damage to the graves. The Italian families in the municipality were persuaded by Luigi Gigliotti to pay for the building of a mausoleum - the Ossario. Photo: Supplied.

THE Italian Ossario at Murchison Cemetery will be included as a Registered Place in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) after Heritage Victoria resolved to include it in October.

The VHR lists and provides legal protection for heritage places and objects significant to the history and development of Victoria. The inclusion of the Italian Ossario coincides with the commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II this year.

There are now 10 sites in Greater Shepparton included in the VHR.

The Italian Ossario is considered to be of historic and aesthetic significance as the final resting place of 130 Italian prisoners of war (POWs) and detainees who died in Australia during World War II.

It is one of only four foreign war cemeteries located in Australia, two of which are located in Greater Shepparton, the other being the German War Cemetery at Tatura, which is also included in the VHR.

The Italian Ossario is a poignant memorial and the only Australian war cemetery dedicated to Italian civilian internees and POWs.

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