The Yankalilla Public Cemetery was established in 1858 and the first burial was that of Mary Lowe in February of that year. By August 1858 two other burials had taken place, according to a letter to the 'Register' newspaper by Thomas Willson, but there is no record of these burials. There are probably a number of unrecorded burials, especially in what is known as the 'old ground'. There are also many unmarked graves. In the old ground, for example, there are about 50 recorded burials but only 14 of these have headstones. One of these headstones marks the grave of John Norman, brother of Robert Norman.

In the newer part of cemetery there are also many unmarked graves. Many of these, but by no means all, are the graves of children. For example, the two young children of Rev Octavius and Serina Thorne Lake lie in an unmarked grave. But there are also many graves with headstones to mark the final resting places of some of our early settlers.