[1] In 1864, William Tunks, prominent Parramatta businessman, who owned land in the North Shore area, was elected member for St Leonards in the Legislative Assembly of NSW.

The following year the Committee put forward plans to improve the cemetery grounds, build a caretaker's residence, make a 20-metre (66 ft) wide avenue, kerb and gutter, clear stumps and undergrowth, trench around the site to 16 feet, and plant evergreen shrubs.

The NSW Department of Justice authorised the Trustees to build a caretaker's cottage on half an acre of the Extension Reserve, west of the Carriageway.

James Kennedy was appointed caretaker by the Committee of Trustees with responsibilities including grave digging, planting trees, maintaining borders and weeding.

[2] In 1887 the Trustees received a Treasury grant to undertake improvements to the cemetery grounds, including planting, provision of seats and gates, trenching and asphalting.

A timber, Gothic style Robing Room and Chapel was erected in the new Church of England extension, near the Carriageway; it was destroyed by fire in 1975.

[2] A dividing fence between the public recreation area and the cemetery was erected in 1926 and two roods and 26 perches were taken from the Lane Cove Road boundary.

[2] In 1967, due to concerns over funding arrangements for maintenance the Trustees proposed a future policy to the Minister for Lands that the Cemetery be converted to a botanical garden with significant monuments and vaults to be conserved and others removed.

[2] On 27 May 1971, a special meeting of Trustees heard a report from the Mayor of Willoughby on the Government's proposal to close Gore Hill Cemetery and convert it to a "rest park".

Between 1982 and 1984 the following projects were completed under the supervision of the Working Committee : In 1984 The NSW Minister for Planning and Environment approved land rezoning to permit Community and Commercial Use of the Sexton's Cottage site.

Local State Member of Parliament, John Dowd presented the Trust with a cheque for funds remaining from the Crown Lands grant of 1985.

[2] A Memorial Garden was established along part of the eastern side of the Carriageway for several placement of ashes, with fees to supplement Trust income.

[2] In 1993 a new monument to David Gregory, Australia's first Test Cricket captain was unveiled and the Shed in the Methodist section of the Cemetery was restored.

The Friends continued their invaluable assistance with publication of further biographies of those buried at Gore Hill, and with a program of activities, including open days, guided walks, working bees and their annual Pilgrimage.

Led by Mother Mary Ignatius McQuoin they established their convent and a school for girls which became Monte Sant' Angelo in Miller Street, North Sydney.

The landscape character is one of enclosed space, defined by dense evergreen tree plantings along the Cemetery boundaries and down either side of the Carriageway.

[2] The older sections, particularly on the western side of the Cemetery, are characterised by a concentration of grand monuments and vaults, featuring a variety of materials and designs.

[2] Marble, sandstone, granite, trachyte and brick are the main materials used for monuments in the Cemetery and some have cast or wrought iron surrounds.

[2] The Cemetery is divided into two main areas by a central avenue, historically known as The Carriageway, which runs from Westbourne Street in the north to the Pacific Highway in the south.

At the same time, the brick paving along the western side was extended along the entire length to facilitate movement of motor vehicles (e.g. trucks for garbage collection) and to provide a hard surface exit into the Gore Hill Oval carpark.

Condition varies but management has made a point of keeping the paths cleared of weed growth and sediment buildup to allow reasonable public access to all parts of the site.

major problem is with self-seeded trees & shrubs such as Brush Box, Privet, Wild Olive and Raphiolepis growing in the grave plots and pathways, the seedlings not having been removed when small in the past by maintenance contractors.

The now-large trees and shrubs are breaking up the graves, headstones, edging and making the paving uneven and dangerous to walk on in places.

Wisteria and Blackberries are rampant in some graves nearby areas and Asparagus Fern, Wild Olive and large-leafed Privet are taking hold in north and west boundary "plantings".

In its layout, monuments and plants it demonstrates the religious philosophies and changing attitudes to death and its commemoration by a significant sample of the Australian population over a period of more than 100 years.

[2] Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery has enormous educational and research potential at a rare and representative State level by virtue of its wealth of genealogical, architectural, horticultural and artistic information which is readily accessible to Australia's major population centre (Criteria a and b).

As the burial place for more than 14,000 people whose lives contributed to and enriched the history and development of Sydney's North Shore, Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery has strong and special associations with the community of a significant region of the State for social, cultural and spiritual reasons (Criterion d).

As a particularly fine and intact example of a Late Victorian/Edwardian landscaped public burial ground with landmark qualities, important plantings and a wealth of high quality funerary architecture demonstrating the skills of the artisans who crafted the monuments, Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery demonstrates aesthetic characteristics and a high degree of creative achievement (Criterion c).

In its layout, monuments and plants it demonstrates the religious philosophies and changing attitudes to death and its commemoration by a significant sample of the Australian population over a period of more than 100 years.

Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery has enormous educational and research potential at a rare and representative State level by virtue of its wealth of genealogical, architectural, horticultural and artistic information which is readily accessible to Australia's major population centre.