THEY are long gone and it seems many are now forgotten.The broken headstones on the graves of Wagga's ancestors reflect the changing times in a city which has seen several generations pass since saying a final farewell to its founding families.Wagga continues to look to a prosperous future, but nobody is thinking of those who laid its foundations.While the grounds at the Wagga Monumental Cemetery are well maintained, old age is catching up with the part of the Kooringal Road site which carries much of the city's history between the 1860s and 1930s.Weather-damaged fences and crumbling concrete on plots accompany scores of shattered headstones.One of the largest monuments in the cemetery belongs to the gravesite of the Cox family, of Mangoplah, and dates back to 1877."This is the first time I have been here in 40 years and judging by the state of some of the other graves, I'd say it's a lot longer since they have been visited," said Susan Porter, whose great-great-grandfather John Cox was the first of six family members buried under a large cross at the cemetery."It's such a shame to see headstones broken like this."Mrs Porter emphasised the importance of not neglecting the bygone era."A lot of the city's heritage is in the cemetery," she said."If you want to know something about the past, it's the best place to go."I can show my daughters where their great-great-great grandfather, who came to Australia by boat in 1836, is laid to rest.Wagga City Council yesterday pointed out the maintenance of the graves falls with the families."Council maintains the grounds and will move any headstones that may have fallen so they are within the plot," manager of parks and recreation, Dave Walker, said.