The concreting over of the crypt in 1973 might have stopped further interference with the coffins but certainly did not stop vandalism to the building itself.
Since then the doors have gone, most of the window mullions have been removed or broken and even stones removed.
In 1988, about the time the New Zealand Historic Places Trust was investigating registering the tomb, another kerfuffle erupted in the papers with the headline "What has the Larnach family done to Dunedin to deserve this?" (Star Midweek February 23, 1988).
The Larnach name was used to attract people to Dunedin, but the Dunedin City Council would still not take responsibility for the repair or maintenance of the tomb, the paper complained.
Said to be the only surviving highly ornate Victorian tomb of this size and significance in New Zealand, the tomb was registered in 1989 as a category 1 historic place but deregistered as an individual item when the entire Northern Cemetery was registered in 2006.
According to Historic Places Trust files, the tomb was inspected in 1993.
The repair costs were estimated to be $27,850, but nothing appears to have been done.
In 1995 there was concern that the spire would collapse as the top swayed in the wind, something that had been mentioned some 30 years earlier in 1963 in the Evening Star.
The city council estimated it would cost $50,000 to stabilise the tomb and $20,000 to restore it.
As usual, there were no funds available but the council's proposal to remove the top of the spire until it could be repaired met with fierce opposition.
Mick Reece, manager community and recreation services, says in the mid-1990s the city council took responsibility to make the tomb safe for the public, although it could not afford to restore it.
"It's pretty decrepit. It's had such rough treatment over the years, repeatedly attacked and vandalised. With better care and closing the gates at night it seems to have reduced some of the vandalism," he said.
In 1996 the steeple was repaired and, in 1998, the roof was weatherproofed to stop further deterioration.
It was given a new base of plywood and overlaid with Welsh slate tiles, at a cost of $20,000, paid for by the city council.
An arson attack in 1999 and a subsequent proposal by Auckland businessman Graeme Platt to remove it to Auckland stirred public concern and the city council used $30,000 of insurance money to repair the roof again and also reconstructed the iron fence.
Now there are more plans to conserve the monument.
Stewart Harvey, of the Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust, is working with heritage architect Guy Williams to plan the restoration, which will replace damaged stones, crosses, window tracery and glass, and the doors - if the estimated cost of about $350,000 can be raised.
The trust already does much work in the cemetery, restoring memorials and removing overgrown vegetation on tombs.
So far the city council heritage fund and the Historic Places Trust have promised funds totalling $45,000, and more trusts are being approached, according to Mr Harvey.
