Cemeteries

Overview

The Shire is responsible for the administration of the Lake Grace, Newdegate, Varley and Lake King cemeteries. Services that are provided to the public are burials of bodies and ashes, niche wall interments of ashes, and permission for the placement of monuments. This page will cover the process to use each of these services.

The Shire's powers and responsibilities over cemeteries are governed by the Cemeteries Act 1986 and the Shire of Lake Grace - Lake Grace, Newdegate, Lake King and Varley Public Cemeteries Local Law, link below.

Link: Public Cemeteries Local Law

The majority of services delivered incurs a fee. Please navigate to the Fees & Charges page for the fee breakdowns.

Burials and Funerals

Before a person can be buried in one of our cemeteries, the family of the deceased will require a Grant of Right of Burial. This Grant allows a sole person ("the Grantee") to act as the approving authority for the plot for the purposes of burying a person. The Grantee can also extend their authority to the funeral director carrying out the funeral. The Grantee's consent is also required for any additional interments, burial of ashes, and for the erection of headstones and monuments.

Grant of Right of Burials last for 25 years, starting on the date of when the fees are paid. Applications can be made by filling in the form below and submitting it to the Shire.

Link: Application for Grant of Right of Burial

When someone passes away, families will tend to engage a funeral director to undertake the funeral. In these cases, the funeral director would fill out an Application For Burial on behalf of the family, as well as an Application for Funeral Permit to conduct a funeral.

Applications for Burials need to be submitted at minimum 2 working days before the actual burial date, per our Local Law. However it is best to do so at least 5 working days before the burial date.

Link: Application for Burial

Link: Application for Funeral Permit

After the funeral, the Grant of Right of Burial remains with the Grantee as the Grant is required for any future works on the same burial plot.

Monumental Works

Some time later after the earth of the burial plot has settled, the family may apply to have a monument placed over the top of the interred burial plot. This will require you to engage a monumental mason. The primary form required is an Application for Monumental Works Permit to be allowed to undertake certain kinds of work for a single monument.

Link: Application for Monumental Works Permit

In support of the mason's application to carry out works, they must submit drawings with dimensions, material make and inscription text for the monument for the monumental works permit.

The Shire's Local Law places restrictions on the maximum size of a monument. These maximum dimensions are as follows:

• Overall height of base and headstone above the original surface of the grave to be less than or equal to 1.50 metres.
• Height of base above original surface of the grave to be between 150mm and 450mm inclusive.
• Length of base to be less than or equal to 1.20 metres.
• Width of base to be less than or equal to 300mm.

Additional requirements placed on the maximum size of a full monument at the discretion of the Shire are as follows:

• Width of kerbing to be less than or equal to 1.20 metres, in keeping with the length of the base.
• Overall length of kerbing plus width of base to be less than or equal to 2.50 metres.

These requirements are in place so that your monumental works do not encroach upon neighbouring burial plots.

Interment of Ashes

The ashes of the deceased can either be interred into one of the Niche Walls at each of our cemeteries, or inside a designated burial plot.

For interments into the Niche Wall, you must complete an Application for Niche Wall Reservation. The Reservation Owner gains management over the specified niche wall plot, and consent must be given by them for interment and plaque mounting. Please contact the Shire to request a map showing available niche wall plots in your desired cemetery. Niche Wall Reservations last for 25 years, just like Grant of Right of Burials.

Link: Application for Niche Wall Reservation

Once you have the ashes of the deceased in your possession, you may then fill out the Application for Placement of Ashes. Most importantly the form specifies how the interment process will be carried out, as you and other family members may elect to have the interment done without the presence of any family. If you do not have a current Niche Wall Reservation, you may submit an application for one at the same time.

A difference from Grant of Right of Burials is that once an interment in a niche wall is completed, the Niche Wall Reservation is considered complete. Any further works on an interred niche wall plot will require contacting the Shire.

Link: Application for Placement of Ashes

This form also allows you to place ashes within a family grave. If you or the family wish to inter the ashes within a family grave (and not have Shire carry it out), you will be responsible for removing any covers or in-fills and burying the urn containing the ashes within the burial plot, then re-sealing the cover. You may also engage a monumental mason to carry this out along with any upkeep.

Please note that the fee for the interment of ashes is applied regardless of whether the Shire or the family does the interment.

Transferal of Grants or Reservations

The previous sections highlighted the importance of holding a Grant of Right of Burial or Niche Wall Reservation so that you can secure a spot nearby other buried family members and friends. If circumstances change such that you do not need the Grant or Reservation anymore, you can elect to either transfer it to another person, or release your Grant or Reservation. This is done through a Transfer of Grant or Reservation form, which both the current owner and the new owner need to sign.

Link: Transfer of Grant or Reservation

Transferals carry over the remaining duration on the Grant or Reservation. A fee is required for transferring Grant of Right of Burials, but it is free for transferring Niche Wall Reservations.

Releasing a Grant or Reservation

If you simply wish to release a Grant or Reservation and you do not want to transfer it to another person, you may submit in writing (by letter or email) your intention along with the following information:

• Full name (Grantee/Reservation Owner)
• Cemetery
• Plot Number
• Grant/Reservation #

Cemetery Details