Organising a Burial or Ash Placement

Burial spaces can be reserved in any of our available cemeteries. The person who reserves the burial plot has the right to:

• determine who can be buried there.
• request the installation of headstones, inscriptions or memorials.

If the reservation-holder is deceased, these rights are managed by the executor of the estate.

Here’s how you can reserve a burial plot:

1. Choose your preferred location.
   We suggest you visit your preferred cemetery to determine which spot you’d like to reserve. We advise you to have more than one preference in mind, as some spaces may already be reserved.

2. Check site availability.
   You’ll need to contact us to determine if your chosen site is available. We suggest making an appointment if you need to discuss the options, reservation process or burial requirements in more detail.

3. Complete the reservation form.
   You will receive this once your site has been confirmed.

4. Pay the fees and present identification to council.
   Fees must be paid at the time of submitting the reservation form. The costs vary, so please check our fees information.  You’ll also need to show two forms of identification. You can complete these steps in person at any council office.

5. Receive your Certificate.
   You’ll receive your Certificate of Burial Rights, which is confirmation of your reservation. This will arrive in the mail unless you arrange to collect it in person. This is a legal document confirming your reserved space.

We have spaces for cremated ashes at our Comboyne, Kendall, Laurieton and Wauchope cemeteries.

Ashes can be either:

• placed in a wall setting with a memorial plaque (called a wall niche)
• placed in a burial plot.

Find detailed information about our cemetery fees and charges. Please note, we cannot arrange payment plans.

Scattering of ashes isn’t permitted at council cemeteries or on any council property.

There are NSW government regulations around the scattering of ashes in other places, which include:

• Ashes can be scattered on private property providing the owner gives approval
• Ashes can be scattered from a boat providing the master of the vessel gives permission
• To scatter ashes in non-council parks or reserves, permission must be granted from the Trust of the park or reserve 

We suggest you check the NSW Health regulations before making any decisions, to avoid unexpected penalties.

Arranging an immediate burial or ash placement move to top of page

If a loved one has recently passed away, the simplest way to organise a burial or ash placement is to contact a funeral home. They can arrange the details, and they will communicate with us to ensure all paperwork and processes are completed.

If the deceased has already reserved a burial site or has a pre-arranged ash placement site, make sure you have this information for the funeral home staff.

To arrange a cremation, talk to a funeral director or contact a crematorium – we don’t manage any of the local crematoriums.

We previously managed the Innes Gardens Crematorium, however this is now privately owned and managed, and is just one of several providers offering cremation services in the local area.