After you have informed the necessary people about someone’s death, it’s time to get in touch with a funeral director to help arrange a service. Select a reputable funeral director who not only respects your family and wishes but also honours someone’s memory by reflecting their personality and beliefs.
Funeral directors play an important role on the day of the service including providing safe transportation and handling all legal documentation. They can also assist families with the day's proceedings, accommodating any pre-arranged wishes and individual requests.
The funeral director will:
They may request the following:
Planning for end-of-life can be an emotionally challenging time, whether you are preparing for yourself or someone you love.
Choosing between a burial or cremation can be a difficult choice especially if there hasn't been any prior planning or clear communication of someone’s wishes.
A burial may refer to a number of different situations however, in all instances, it involves laying the deceased to rest within a coffin, casket or shroud. This is followed by the solemn process of interring the deceased's body in the earth, a crypt or vault (above ground burial) serving as its final resting place. Typically, this involves gently lowering a casket into the ground and respectfully covering it with soil or placing it within a permanent vault or crypt.
We offer a range of burial options to suit diverse cultural and religious preferences. Thoughtfully choosing the right burial location is essential as this determines the type of memorial.
If you are considering a burial, we encourage you to visit one of our memorial parks. Our team will show you around our grounds, explaining the available choices and locations in a way that is both comfortable and informative. We understand this is a significant, long-term decision, and it is important for you to feel confident in selecting the right burial style and peaceful place for honouring and remembrance.
For more information, please contact us or refer to our burial options.
Cremation offers an alternative for the final resting place of the body by utilising the process of combustion. Through exposure to intense heat and open flames, the deceased body is transformed into ashes. In contrast to burials, which rely on the natural decomposition of the body over time, cremation is a much quicker process, typically taking just a few hours.
Following cremation, the ashes are returned to the family to memorialise, keep or scatter. Alternatively, cremated remains can be interred into an existing burial site, with many graves offering the option to inter several urns of ashes.
All of our cremations take place within the park grounds, ensuring that ashes are handled respectfully. For information on our cremation memorial options, contact us or refer to our cremation memorial options.
No, it is not essential. While many choose to have a service for a loved one, others may choose alternatives such as a ‘no service, no attendance’ or direct cremation.
If you need a headstone or monument for a grave, our valued monumental masons specialise in crafting, installing, inscribing and repairing such structures. They will guide you on the most appropriate materials and designs based on your requirements.
For a list of registered stonemasons, or to confirm your chosen stonemason is permitted to work within the cemetery, find a stonemason near you page.
When it comes to transportation, it is essential to follow legal requirements by using an enclosed receptacle, such as a coffin or casket.
There are many options available, and your funeral director will assist in selecting a coffin or casket to suit your needs and budget. Some options include a traditional timber casket, wicker caskets, sustainable caskets and personalised caskets.
Flowers – Our onsite florists can help in selecting a floral arrangement to complement the colour and finish of the chosen coffin or casket. Flowers are a heartfelt way to personalise the service, allowing you to choose specific blooms, colours or even a scent that hold special memories.
Order of service – This printed guide outlines the sequence of the funeral service. You can organise to have the order of service designed and printed or you may wish to do this yourself. Often your funeral director can assist with this process as well. As an alternative, you may also wish to consider designing a bookmark or photo card for the guests to keep.
Music – Music is a beautiful way to personalise a service. You may like to think about the music that was especially enjoyed, songs that hold deep meaning, or hymns that have a special significance. Your funeral director can assist with choosing and playing the right music during the service.
Photo tribute – Many families find comfort in displaying a gallery of selected photos that help capture a life. This touching tribute is often accompanied by meaningful music which you can put this together yourself or have a funeral director assist. There are also specialist companies that you can use.
You can discuss any additional ideas with your funeral director. They’ll work with you to ensure every detail contributes to creating a meaningful service that honours your loved one’s memory.
Funeral viewing services are often held at the family home, funeral homes, churches or chapels, or dedicated facilities. Funeral directors play a compassionate role in preparing the deceased for viewing, ensuring they are respectfully presented.
We offer the option for an open casket or coffin viewing, providing a space where family and friends can pay their final respects with the support of your funeral director.
Additionally, in select locations, we offer cremation witness viewing rooms, providing a more intimate setting to cater for traditions and cultures that may wish to witness the casket being inserted into the cremator.
Funeral services and ceremonies provide an important opportunity to honour and celebrate a life lived. As with all significant life events, this is a time to gather with family and friends, coming together in unity and solidarity to remember and farewell someone who has passed.
These ceremonies, along with new and old traditions, allow us to properly grieve and reflect on our pain, our gratitude, and our memories. They allow us to express our grief and to begin healing through support and connection.
To assist you during this time, we provide a range of services across several of our locations to host a wake or memorial service. Our onsite cafes, function rooms, and florists are available to help you organise your wake or memorial service. They offer a variety of rooms and catering options tailored to suit your needs.
Processing a death certificate begins when NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages has received a complete and correct application.
Organising the death certificate is typically handled by the funeral director who is responsible for these arrangements.
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Certificate request |
Standard service |
Priority Service |
|
Death within the last 2 months |
up to 1 week
|
Not available
|
|
Correction to a certificate |
up to 2 weeks
|
Not available
|
|
Online application |
up to 2 weeks
|
up to 1 week
|
|
Submitted by post |
up to 4 weeks |
up to 1 week |
|
Registry agent (Service NSW) |
up to 3 weeks |
up to 1 weeks |
For more information and most current processing times, please refer to the New South Wales Government website by clicking here.
Collecting ashes can be emotionally challenging, and we want to help make the process as smooth as possible. Ashes can be collected from the memorial park 48 hours after the service by booking an appointment, and our compassionate Customer Service team is here to assist you.
Whether it's finding a special place to memorialise your loved one, choosing a beautiful urn, or scattering the ashes in a meaningful way.
Grief is a natural response to losing someone special in our lives. Unfortunately, it is not well understood in our society, and many people tend to avoid, deny, postpone, or even ignore this important process in life.
For the individual experiencing loss, there are significant adjustments ahead. This will often bring a mix of emotions, including shock, anger, fear, sadness, depression, uncertainty, and sometimes even relief. Routines may be disrupted, moods can fluctuate, and change will manifest in various ways.
It's important to recognise that all of these experiences are a natural part of the grieving process.
A death can also present challenges for those around you who may struggle to find the right words or know how to offer support during such a difficult time.
If you have lost someone, or know someone who has, you are not alone. There are many organisations that offer support, grief counselling and valuable resources to help you navigate through this difficult time.