Dave Hunter, known as "the Grave", began searching for unmarked graves as a teenager on his grandfather's farm in Rushworth, northern Victoria, where he built a rudimentary "radar" with a multimeter. He now uses a sophisticated ground-penetrating radar, which he says resembles a lawn mower, to find lost graves without ever lifting a shovel, completing 10 to 15 projects a year.
In July 2025, the Central Darling Shire Council contracted Mr Hunter to determine whether there were any lost graves at Menindee and White Cliffs. He found more than 300 burials at each cemetery, all connected to the existing graveyards.
"Particularly in Menindee, it was really eye-opening to see so many," Mr Hunter said, describing a real sense of satisfaction at seeing markers placed on previously lost graves.
Tammie McMaster, the council's cemetery officer, is now on a mission to identify the people beneath the ground. She has been speaking to locals and scouring council records and archives.
"If I could do the majority [of the graves], just to put a name to these people, [that] would be absolutely fantastic," Ms McMaster said.
The council is also looking at repeating the project in other far-west communities, including Wilcannia and Tilpa. Ms McMaster said the work was vital not only for future planning in the cemeteries but for honouring the dead.
"It's respectful to the people that are laid to rest, and to families and relatives," she said.
Unmarked graves are common in Australia, a result of how someone was laid to rest, or of records and markers becoming lost to time.