Page 1101 - Week 03 - Thursday, 26 February 2009
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one to rest anywhere but in consecrated ground within a churchyard might have seemed unacceptable, and even horrific. Until relatively recently, those of us of European descent would have blanched somewhat even at the notion of cremation. Now cremation is the norm. I understand, in fact, that 70 per cent of Canberrans choose to be cremated.
Cities are discovering that they cannot endlessly tie up fresh areas of undeveloped land for lawn cemeteries. We are no different from other communities in the sense that our tastes and needs in relation to the disposal of our dead have changed over time. If we visit St John’s Churchyard in Reid or Queanbeyan cemetery, where our Protestant and Catholic forebears lie respectively, we will see the evidence of practices that are absent from a lawn cemetery or a memorial rose garden.
We should not be afraid of exploring new options and new avenues and developing new traditions. Indeed, we have recently introduced reforms that allow the community to make greater use of cardboard coffins. I imagine that, a few generations ago, some would have been aghast at the very idea of a cardboard coffin.
The ACT currently has two principal cemeteries, at Woden and Gungahlin. There is also a small cemetery at Hall. Our principal cemetery, in Gungahlin, was opened in 1979. The cemetery contains a large lake set in a mature landscape. Separate attractive areas are provided for lawn and headstone burials, and the placement of ashes. In addition to lawn, family estates, monumental, children’s and babies’ areas, there are special areas set aside for Jewish, Islamic, Orthodox, Aboriginal and ex-service burials.
The memorial gardens provide two areas for the interment of ashes. One area allows the placement of ashes in the ground behind an attractive granite beam. The other is an impressive structure that allows the placing of a unique coloured plaque on a granite wall. The placing of the ashes is either in an underground vault or in a garden bed. Ashes can also be scattered in shrub beds within the cemetery.
Woden cemetery was opened in 1936 and was the principal cemetery until 1979. At that time it closed. It was reopened in March 1999. This formally planned cemetery features many stately, mature trees and offers lawn and monumental burial sites in different religious and general areas. Burial sites are available in all areas of the cemetery and the rhododendron and azalea gardens are available for the placing of ashes. Ashes can also be placed in existing graves. An enclosed mausoleum for interment in above-ground vaults was completed in 2001.
The Hall cemetery has a small rural headstone area, which is mainly for longer term residents of the region. It contains some rare and endangered plants; therefore the number of burials that it will accommodate in the future is very limited. There is also one facility, Norwood Park Crematorium, which is privately owned and located in Mitchell, supplying crematoria services. A range of options are already available, including traditional monumental burials, lawn burials, garden burials in family estates, mausoleum and above-ground crypts and memorials for cremated remains.
It is important that we investigate new options as our community develops and needs change and it is important that these issues are explored in partnership with the
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