Lake Alice unmarked graves: Rangitīkei council to apply for Government fund

After being asked to track down one serviceman's grave, Marton's Barry Rankin discovered the final resting places of more than 30 servicemen who died while they were at the Lake Alice psychiatric hospital.

Rangitīkei District Council will apply for Government funding to care for unmarked graves connected to the former Lake Alice psychiatric hospital.

In response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, the Government has established a new fund, the Survivor Support and Recognition Fund, to honour those who died in care and are buried in unmarked graves and to support survivor-led initiatives.

The $2 million fund responds to two of the recommendations in the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry’s final report, Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light.

Recommendation 19 is to “establish an independent investigation of unmarked graves and urupā” and recommendation 20 is to “establish a fund for projects connected to community harm arising from the cumulative impact of abuse and neglect in care”.

The Royal Commission has identified at least 4000 unmarked graves across nine districts, including Rangitīkei.

“Authorities with sites in those areas can apply for funding to memorialise those who are buried, in ways their communities deem appropriate,” Lead Co-ordination Minister Erica Stanford said.

Rangitīkei MP Suze Redmayne said she was confident the issues would be addressed effectively in the district.

Between 2016 and 2023, the unmarked gravesites of 34 World War I and II veterans, connected to Lake Alice, were marked and connected back to living family members.

Marton RSA life member Barry Rankin identified the graves at Mt View cemetery, which were then blessed in a ceremony in 2023.

“The great thing, from a Rangitīkei perspective, is we’ve done this before,” Redmayne said.

“I know the impact of what happened at the Mt View ceremony was significant for the families, and just the fact that they were able to connect deceased people with living relatives.”

Rangitīkei Mayor Andy Watson said the council intended to apply to the fund but was still in the early planning stages of what would happen with the unmarked graves.

One of the primary planned uses for the fund is to find out where the unmarked graves are, and who they belong to, by doing radar mapping and research.

“It will be used to expand on our knowledge. We don’t know 100% or even nearly 100%,” Watson said.

Non-government organisations (NGOs) and community groups can also apply for the fund to deliver support and services to survivors of abuse in care.

This includes events and initiatives that promote awareness, prevent abuse, support survivors or educate the community.

Applications to the fund will need to prove they will meet one or more outcomes, including local authorities memorialising people who died in care, spreading awareness of abuse in care, NGOs continuing to expand in work helping survivors, empowering survivors in their own communities, and providing easily accessible services and support options for survivors.

The Survivor Support and Recognition Fund is non-contestable, meaning all organisations that meet the criteria will receive funding up to $50,000.

The fund is administered by Community Operations Hāpai Hapori in partnership with the Crown Response Office.

Grant applications opened on February 19 and close on June 30, 2026, or when all funding has been allocated, whichever occurs first.

More information on the Survivor Support and Recognition Fund, eligibility and applications can be found at communitymatters.govt.nz.

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.