Margaret Smith Hall purchased sixty acres of Crown Land

June 13. Margaret Smith Hall (1833-1909), John Smith Hall’s unmarried sister purchased sixty acres of Crown Land adjoining her land and “Lilburn Cottage” situated on a portion of “Lilburndale”. This new acquisition incorporated the Aboriginal burial ground. The burial ground is situated at the foot of a steep boulder-strewn ridge which is cleft by a narrow watercourse. The contour of the ridge forms a small natural amphitheatre. There are no headstones. Margaret hall was a friend of local Aboriginal people all her life. It is possible that Margaret sought to caretake the burial ground. By 1901 the spinster became too infirm and was moved into Ebenezer to live with her brother Matthew Smith Hall and his wife. She lost her land and cottage. Teresa Hall acquired the property. The conditional purchase noted that it contained a “special area”. Local Aborginal people who “tenaciously clung to the old ways” utilised this sacred area. (Brook, 1st edit, 61).