Classic Burial
Anyone can purchase the rights to a gravesite at any of our cemeteries. You will then be issued a ‘Grant of Right of Burial’ for 25 years. The grant gives the purchaser (also known as the ‘grantee’) the right to arrange burials, place cremated remains and erect monumental work upon the grave. It is issued in the name of one person only and only that person can make decisions about that grave.
While many of our cemeteries have monuments affixed above a grave, please be aware that Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park does not allow monuments due to the native bush design of the park. Instead, graves can be marked with lay flat bronze plaques.
By contacting your Funeral Director or our Support Services, you can find out which areas are available for burials.
Mausoleums
Mausoleums provide an alternative to below ground burial for those seeking entombment. Mausoleum facilities are offered at Karrakatta, Fremantle, Midland and Guildford Cemeteries.
A small number of below ground burial vaults for entombment are offered at Fremantle and Midland Cemeteries. For more information about mausoleums, please refer to your preferred cemetery further down the page in related services.
Natural Burials
In a departure from the granite headstones and manicured grounds of the conventional cemetery, Natural Burials offer the community a unique and sustainable final resting place with minimal disturbance to the natural bushland environment.
The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board has established natural burial areas at Fremantle Cemetery and Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park. With a natural burial, the body is returned to nature in a biodegradable coffin and materials made from natural fibres.
Natural burials at Fremantle Cemetery are located within an elevated grove that overlooks the cemetery’s splendid bush land gully. Bordered by traditional burial locations, this unique pocket of bushland will be progressively vegetated with natural plant species as plots are utilised. Natural burials at Pinnaroo are located in a small and secluded bushland pocket.
How can I obtain more information about burials?
For more information about burials please speak to your Funeral Director or contact Support Services on 1300 793 109.
Burial FAQs
Show moreHow do I secure a gravesite?
Members of the public can purchase the rights to a gravesite at any of our cemeteries. On doing so, the purchaser is issued a ‘Grant of Right of Burial’ for 25 years. The grant confers on the holder (also known as the ‘grantee’) the right to arrange burials, place cremated remains and erect monumental work upon the grave. It is issued in the name of one person only.
For families wishing to establish multiple burial plots within the one burial area, it is strongly advised that additional plots be secured when the first plot is selected. If additional plots are not purchased in concurrence with the first it is highly unlikely that additional plots in the same area will be available for purchase in the future.
The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board strongly recommends that families pre-purchase graves if wishing to secure a preferred location. Click here to learn more about the benefits of pre-purchasing a burial location.
What happens when the grant expires?
The grantee has the right of renewal for a further 25 years, as established in the Cemeteries Act 1986. After that, if the Board and the grantee agree, further terms of renewal for periods of no more than 25 years may be arranged. Upon expiration of a grant, the control of the gravesite reverts to the Board.
Please note, as the average person moves every 7.5 years, reminder letters are not sent regarding the expiration of a grant. Fees may differ whether the grantee is renewing a current grant for a further 25 years or if the grant is repurchased upon expiry. Please contact the relevant cemetery for further information.
Can I transfer a Grant of Right of Burial?
Only a current Grant of Right of Burial can be transferred to another person. If the grantee is living, the following must be produced before a transfer can be made:
- A copy of the original Grant of Right of Burial (or Declaration of Ownership of Missing Grant)
- A completed Application for Transfer a Grant of Right of Burial
- Payment of an applicable fee
If the grantee is deceased, a copy of the Probate of the Will in addition to the items listed above will be required.
What happens if the grantee dies?
A grantee may bequeath a current Grant of Right of Burial by will. If you are the beneficiary of a grant by will, the grant can be transferred into your name by providing a copy of the original Grant of Right of Burial, a copy of the Probate of the Will, a completed transfer form and payment of an applicable fee.
If a grantee dies without bequeathing a current Grant of Right of Burial by will, family members can still arrange burials, place cremated remains and erect monumental works. A Statutory Declaration can be completed by a family member wishing to make arrangements declaring that the grantee has died without bequeathing the grant by will and that there is no other person with equal or greater interest objecting to the purchase of the grant.
Can I cancel a Grant of Right of Burial?
Only a current Grant of Right of Burial can be cancelled. The following must be produced before a refund can be made:
- A copy of the original Grant of Right of Burial (or Declaration of Ownership of Missing Grant)
- A completed Application for Refund
- Payment of an applicable fee
Click here for more information regarding Refund Policy and Guidelines.
How many deceased can be interred in a grave?
At Karrakatta, Midland, Guildford and Rockingham, burial locations generally offer a capacity for three burials and the placement of numerous sets of ashes. At the family’s request, previously interred remains can be relocated to a lower depth to enable further burials to be undertaken in the family grave. This process, known as lift and deepen, is popular amongst many families for its ability to provide a burial location that can be utilised across multiple generations. The plot then becomes a site of cross-generational import.
It is possible to arrange up to four interments (including ashes) at Pinnaroo burial sites.
Whether you are purchasing rights to a new burial site or requiring an additional interment in an existing one, the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board will be pleased to advise of the status of the grave in question.
Please contact Support Services on 1300 793 109 should you wish to make any enquiries.
How do I arrange a headstone?
The grant holder of a burial location is authorised to erect a new headstone, or make changes to an existing headstone, by contacting a Monumental Mason. The Monumental Mason will advise you of the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board’s standards for monumental work, and will arrange for the necessary application documents to be completed.
A temporary grave marker may be placed upon the grave for a period of 24 months following a burial. The marker must not exceed 900mm in height and 630mm in width. It must be soundly constructed of timber and well finished in a subdued colour.
What is cemetery renewal?
The term ‘cemetery renewal’ describes the practice of redeveloping existing cemetery burial areas to accommodate new gravesites and memorial locations. A cemetery renewal program has been continually operating at Karrakatta Cemetery since the 1970s.
For more information regarding the cemetery renewal program, please visit the Cemetery Renewal section of this website, email mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au or contact Support Services on 1300 793 109.
Flower and Ornament Policy
Show moreWhat is the MCB’s Flower and Ornament Policy?
The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board is committed to maintaining its cemeteries and memorial gardens to a high standard.
Following an extensive community consultation exercise, a revised policy was developed in 2011.
We thank our visitors for observing the conditions described in the policy.
Whilst artificial tributes do have an environmental impact and the placement of fresh tributes is preferred, the Board recognises that many families prefer artificial tributes and, as such, their placement is respected as being an integral part of the grieving process.
When placing new tributes, we would ask that plastic wrapping be removed and withered/weathered tributes be placed within one of the rubbish bins located throughout the cemeteries. Download a copy of the Flower and Ornament Policy below. Alternatively, please contact Support Services on 1300 793 109 should you prefer to have a copy mailed to you.
