Council has been developing plans to enhance the operation and services of our cemeteries. Master planning identifies and prioritises short and long term needs for cemeteries.

The Shellharbour and Albion Park Cemetery Masterplan's include a staged implementation plan that will guide future actions for development, operation and services of the cemeteries over the next 20 years. The plan's aim to balance the needs of the different members of our community and enhance the opportunities of both sites.

In 2018 the Cemetery Operations Policy (the Policy) was adopted, the overall aim of the Policy is to improve amenity and efficiency of Council's cemeteries. The Policy details cemetery standards and practices to facilitate improved service standards at Council cemeteries. The Cemetery Team has been working with stakeholders and families to implement these improvements.

Background

In November 2019, Florence Jaquet Landscape architect (FJLA) was commissioned to prepare a Masterplan for Shellharbour Cemetery. Shellharbour Cemetery is one of the oldest in the Shellharbour area with recorded burials dating back to the 1800’s.

Availability for new reservations at Shellharbour Cemetery is limited to the placement of ashes. Burials are limited to customers with previously reserved plots.

About the location

The cemetery is located on the eastern side of Shellharbour Road and is approximately 2.47 hectares.

What are the key inclusions of the masterplan?

The Masterplan aims to provide a scenic and contemplative setting for visitors as well as the wider community. It is designed as a park, capitalising on views and its rich history, offering walking paths, respite areas, toilet and shelter facilities amongst a wider choice of interments.

• Creating a meandering pathway for memorialisation options at the south west end or upper end of the site. This would include disabled access through car parking at the rear of the site and a path at the front of the site, new gardens and niche walls, sculptures and future crypts.
• Create additional parking within the existing roundabout utilising reinforced grass and provide an open shelter for the public to use.
• Open new ground for burials as identified within the plan
• Create a children’s section as shown on plan.
• Provides location for possible natural burials and RSL memorial.
• Includes replacement public toilets, relocated staff facilities and storage bays.
• As plots are not currently available at Shellharbour the yield of the cemetery cannot be calculated, however, it is estimated these changes will provide potentially 390 additional graves.

Read the full draft Shellharbour Cemetery Masterplan.

Background

In November 2019, Florence Jaquet Landscape architect (FJLA) was commissioned to prepare a Masterplan for Albion Park Cemetery. The cemetery's first burial was in 1901 and today provides for most new burials in the City.

About the location

The cemetery is located on the eastern side of Croome Road, Albion Park Rail and is approximately 3.94 hectares.

What are the key inclusions of the masterplan?

The masterplan aims to provide a scenic and contemplative setting for visitors as well as the wider community. It is designed as a park, capitalising on its past history, offering walking paths, respite areas, toilet and shelter facilities amongst a wider choice of interments.

• Update the entry with signage, flanking garden beds and formalised parking.
• Construction of a staff area which is fenced off and out of the vision of visitors. The area includes shed for equipment, lunchroom, storage bays and parking.
• Replacement of existing toilet block to current design.
• Create a landscaped swale to convey run-off from the entrance road, included within this section is a meandering path, landscaped gardens, large open shelter, relocation of the niche walls and a link to the playground on Cedar St.
• New parking lot proposed within adjacent reserve.
• In the areas of probable unmarked graves it is proposed to develop a pedestrian link between the two open space reserves and gardens to protect these sites. This space will be utilised for further memorialisation options.
• Proposed heritage walk to further identify the John Fraser Monument as a focal point of the cemetery, subject to further heritage studies.
• Improved access to the cemetery from the bus stop by renewing and upgrading the existing path along Croome Road.
• Provides location for possible natural burials and children’s section.
• Update the layout of the grave grid to be based on interment style rather than denomination. This will allow for a much more structured and continuous approach to cemetery operations and will greatly improve the amenity of the cemetery.
• The yield of the cemetery following implementation of the plan has been calculated to be 102 years based on current interment trends with a potential 3,771 graves available.

Read the full draft Albion Park Cemetery Masterplan.