Honouring the past and preserving cherished memories, our Cemeteries & Memorial Parks provide a tranquil space for reflection and remembrance. From traditional burials to niche walls and natural burials, the Central Coast Council is dedicated to offering respectful and compassionate services for our community in this space.
Central Coast Cemeteries & Memorial Parks
The Council operates the Central Coast Memorial Park located at South Road, West Ulverstone. The Ulverstone General Cemetery and Penguin General Cemetery are now closed other than for previously approved reservations.
Burial arrangements are made through a funeral director. Plaques can be ordered through the funeral directors or privately arranged – please note that Council no longer issue plaques.
The Council maintains a number of Memorial Parks located within Ulverstone that commemorate the various armed services. Niche walls are located in each of these parks for the placement of plaques (and ashes) commemorating those who served. Reservations and arrangements for the placement of plaques (and ashes) are to be made through the Council.
For more information, contact the Community Services Department on 6429 8900.
Cemeteries Fees & Charges
Click below to find the current Fees & Charges Schedule, including those relating to cemeteries and burials.
Information for Funeral Directors
Funerals, burials and ashes and/or plaque placements can be arranged by contacting the Community Development Team on 6429 8900.
Funeral Directors are asked to please note the following:
- All burial requests require a minimum of 2 business days’ notice
- Re-opening of graves will not be available before 12.30pm on Mondays, or before 10.00am on any other day
- Burials to occur no earlier than 10.00am and no later than 3.00pm on any day
- Please allow a minimum of 2 hours between funerals (all bookings to start 30 minutes before arrival) – please contact the Community Development Team to request access to the Online Cemetery Bookings Calendar.
- No glass vases/containers permitted on graves
Funeral bookings will not be confirmed until ‘Order for Burial’ form is received from Funeral Director, which can be submitted online via:
- the MS Forms e-Burial Order Form link here or the QR Code below
- or via the PDF/Paper Order for Burial form which can be downloaded here.
- Ashes and/or plaque placements will not occur without the submission of a Placement Form also, available here.
- Special/photo plaques will also need an Indemnity Form provided before placement will occur, available here
The information you are required to provide when making a booking is as follows:
- Cemetery Name (Central Coast Memorial Park, Ulverstone General or Penguin General)
- Name of deceased
Day, date and time of funeral - Whether a single or double depth grave, or a reopening
- If reopening, whose grave is to be reopened
- Any special requirements, i.e. graveside service, oversized coffin etc.
- Name of Funeral Director, example:
CCMP Joan Mary Blogs, Reopen John Frederick Blogs – Graveside Service, Parkside Funerals
Natural Burials
A natural burial is an approach to the disposal of human remains that involves burying the deceased in a way that promotes natural decomposition and minimizes harm to the environment, including any containers or materials used for burial.
To ensure a natural burial, no chemicals are used in the preparation of the human remains. If a burial container is used, it must be made entirely of biodegradable materials. Alternatively, the remains can be wrapped in a shroud made of biodegradable fabric.
At the Central Coast Memorial Park, natural burials can be permitted in any grave plot as long as it poses no risk to public health or safety. Currently, there is no specific area designated for natural burials within the cemetery. The location of a grave, unless specified in an exclusive right of burial, will be determined by the Council based on the layout and current use of the cemetery.
Any request for a natural burial will need to comply with the following conditions:
- Single depth burial only
- Companion burial by subsequent opening of a grave is not permitted (no double depth graves)
- Handling and transport of human remains to and within the cemetery, and until immediately prior to burial must be in an impervious conventional coffin to prevent discharge of body fluids, contaminants or infectious material, and otherwise without risk of harm to public health and safety
- If a coffin used for the storage and transport of human remains is to be re-used, it must first be steam cleaned and disinfected
- Remains must not be embalmed, and any preparation of the remains must involve the use of biodegradable products
- Remains may be buried in a biodegradable container of any material or form, provided such container will fit within a standard grave opening
- If the remains are not placed in a container, they must be wrapped in not less than four (4) layers of a cotton or linen sheeting sufficient to prevent the leakage of body fluids
- An identification nameplate must be fixed to the lid of the coffin or container used to store, transport and handle the remains prior to burial; the identification nameplate must be – a. removed and fixed to the lid of any biodegradable coffin; or b. placed on top of the wrapping material
- The grave plot may be marked by an approved plaque supplied by the family
Council does not permit other persons to dig or backfill a grave and therefore normal cemetery fees and charges apply to a natural burial.
Anyone interested in a ‘natural burial’ are encouraged to speak with a funeral director.
For more information…
For funeral directors coordinating services and more information regarding conducting funerals at the Central Coast Memorial Park, please contact us.
For historical cemetery enquiries, please note that our grave location and burial database is constantly being updated and this information is available via the search function on our website here: www.centralcoast.tas.gov.au/cemetery-grave-information
For more detailed research, we recommend visiting the Community History Archive at Hive, where our expert staff and volunteers can assist with family and local history enquiries. You can visit the Community History Archive during its opening hours of 1.00pm – 4.00pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to undertake your own research free of charge.
If you prefer, you can also submit a research request for a small fee per enquiry using the form available on the Hive website here: www.hivetasmania.com.au/museum
There are a number of local community groups that may be able to assist with enquiries and requests including the Penguin History Group, Friends of the Penguin General Cemetery, and Friends of Ulverstone General Cemetery who maintain cemetery grounds and some archival records, often working closely with the Hive Museum staff.
Please note, although a cemetery or gravesite may be located within the Central Coast Council municipality, there are a number of sites that are not on Council-owned land and are privately managed and owned – a full list can be found on the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Tasmanian Cemetery Register webpage here.