Cemeteries and crematoria terms and conditions

Brisbane City Council has rules and regulations with regard to its cemeteries and crematoria. Council may vary its rules and regulations at any time and any manner it deems appropriate.

Burial right holders and applicants must comply with all rules and regulations which may apply to the operation of the cemetery. 

Burial rights - new graves and ashes memorials

The burial right holder is the person (individual) who purchased the site. They are the person who signed the burial terms and conditions agreement at the time of purchase.

The burial right holder can be buried in the site and authorise the burial of others in the site.

On the death of the burial right holder, the authority to authorise burials in the site reverts to Council. Council will permit, in its absolute discretion, a: 

• spouse
• child
• partner
• relative
• direct descendant, or
• friend

of the burial right holder, be buried in the site. This is provided there is no reason to believe the holder would have objected.

The burial right holder cannot sell the burial right and it is not transmissible by death.

Burial rights for unused graves and ashes memorial sites may be returned to Council. For those purchased:

• more than 10 years ago - 80% of the original purchase price will be refunded
• less than 10 years ago - 90% of the original purchase price will be refunded.

Council may permit, in its absolute discretion, the transfer of a burial right from one person to another. Transfer of a burial right site may only be happen on one occasion.

Plaques and granite products

Only Council or a monumental stonemason can supply plaques and granites for lawn and lawn beams. The stonemason must be authorised to work in Brisbane City Council Cemeteries (subject to Council’s specifications).

If you use a monumental stonemason:

• any work is subject onto to an agreement between the burial right holder and monumental stonemason company
• plaques and granites will not be under warranty through Council
• Council will not be involved in issues or disputes between these parties.

Council must install all plaques and granites for lawn and lawn beams, regardless of supplier. Where Council supplies plaques and granite products, they will:

• have a five year warranty for faulty workmanship and defective materials
• make good any damage caused to plaques or granite products during the course of maintenance 
• accept no responsibility for any deterioration in plaques or granite products due to the natural elements or the passage of time.

Council accepts no responsibility for the maintenance of any monument constructed on a grave. The monument will always remain the responsibility of the burial right holder or their family and descendants. Council reserves the right to remove any monument after due notice to family or descendants (where possible). This is if the condition of the monument renders it dangerous to cemetery staff or visitors.

Flowers or memorabilia

To preserve the essential nature of our cemeteries, it is necessary to impose some reasonable regulations. These regulations involve what may or may not happen with gravesites and memorials. While Council respects the individual integrity of the family and each grave, a cemetery must provide for the community at large.

Council intends graves in lawn areas (as distinct from traditional monumental graves) to have minimal flowers and memorabilia. There are to be no more than two receptacles for flowers on lawn graves or ashes memorials.

Prohibited items

Council prohibits the following items on lawn graves or ashes memorials:

• glass or metal containers
• solar lights
• pot plants
• pebbles
• plastic windmills
• fencing. 

Council does not permit any type of planting in lawn graves area, monumental burial areas and ashes gardens.

Disputes

Council acts in good faith when it relies on advice provided by applicants and/or funeral directors. It does not accept any responsibility for allowing a burial that might be the subject of a later dispute between family members.

More information

For more information, phone Council on 07 3403 8888.