Cemeteries

Purchasing of Plots

We don't generally provide for the presale of plots. However, this may occur where a spouse, partner, or family member of the deceased seeks to buy an adjoining cemetery plot at the time of interment.

Requests by a spouse, partner, or family member of the deceased to buy an adjoining plot other than at the time of interment will be assessed only in exceptional circumstances. Please be aware that if a request is made at a later date, the adjoining plot may not always be available.

Burial rights confer permission for someone to be interred in a plot, but do not assign ownership of the land.

Monuments

All new monuments must conform with NZ Monumental Standards - your monumental mason will help and advise you on this.

No person, other than the person who purchased the plot, has the right to erect, or arrange to erect, a monument without gaining the plot purchaser's prior approval. If the plot purchaser is deceased, the immediate next of kin may apply to Council to erect a monument.

Grave plots and any monuments or fixtures upon them are the responsibility of the owner’s family or other next of kin to maintain.

Ashes Beam

If your loved one has chosen to be cremated, Council cemeteries have ashes beams available.

Any person may purchase a plot on the ashes beam and place a small headstone or plaque upon it at their own cost.

Memorial Beams

Memorial Beams are located at the Balclutha, Kaitangata, Lawrence, Milton (Fairfax), Tapanui, and Waipori cemeteries.

They are for people whose loved ones may have been interred elsewhere, or whose ashes may have been scattered, and wish to place a plaque of remembrance at their local cemetery.

A granite plaque may be placed on the beam at the applicant’s cost. There is, however, no charge for a space on a memorial beam.

If you would like to place a plaque on a beam, or if you have any queries regarding cemeteries, please contact us on 0800 801 350.

Wreaths and Tributes

During a period of 10 days or other such period as the Council decides following an interment, any wreath or other floral tribute may be placed on a plot but shall be removed at the expiration of such a period.

Plantings and Ornaments

Please feel free to leave planters and flowers on the concrete beam at the cemetery.

However, as Council does not wish to cause the family undue distress, we respectfully ask that you refrain from placing plantings/ornaments or glass containers in front of the headstone on the grassed areas of Council lawn cemeteries.

Maintenance

Council’s contractor is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the cemetery. This includes the mowing of lawns, pruning of trees and bushes, cutting hedges, and backfilling sunken graves. We do not maintain any structures and/or headstones on a grave. All maintenance associated with the headstone is the responsibility of the owner or next of kin. To keep the cemetery tidy, Council may remove any monument or other fixture that has fallen into a state of disrepair.

You can also apply to have a plot allocated or grave reopened by downloading our Application Form for Allocation of Plot or to Reopen Grave.