A plan to solve Sydney’s critical public burial space shortage

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The challenge: Why does Sydney urgently need more burial space?

A recent NSW Government review found that public cemeteries across Sydney are running out of burial space, with estimates that without new land, they will need to begin turning away some faith groups in less than two years and will be fully exhausted within a decade after that.

NSW is one of Australia’s most culturally diverse communities, with people from 307 ancestries practicing 46 religions and speaking more than 215 languages. Crown land cemetery operators must ensure that interment space is provided to meet the needs of all faith and cultural groups.

What is the proposed solution?

The NSW Government has tasked Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP) with identifying options to significantly increase the supply of new burial space. This included assessing options at existing sites and potential new sites.

MMP has undertaken an extensive evaluation process to identify a suitable location that can be used for a modern memorial park. As directed by the Minister for Lands, this included reviewing existing Crown lands (State owned lands) for repurposing and any other options for how to deliver a significant expansion of accessible burial space in Sydney.

Starting this process involved researching world-leading best practice for a new memorial park. This was the foundation for assessment criteria for suitability, permissibility and feasibility.

Following an extensive evaluation process, MMP has identified a site in the heart of Sydney that it believes would be the most suitable for a memorial park. Carnarvon Golf Course is central and close to Sydney’s largest existing cemetery, Rookwood and meets all the best practice criteria for a modern memorial park.

MMP believes Carnarvon is the ideal location to meet the needs of the broader community as a place to remember loved ones, or to appreciate the natural beauty of new open space. The introduction of a modern memorial park would enhance the existing natural landscape while providing public amenity for the broader community.

Consultation

Recognising the significance of this issue, MMP is committed to engaging with the community to explain the rationale and process behind the identification of Carnarvon as the ideal site for a new memorial park.