Funeral planning, fees and charges
Follow our step-by-step guide to planning a funeral. Find out about the fees and charges involved.
When it comes to planning a funeral, the experience can be overwhelming and emotionally demanding. It involves making time-sensitive decisions and arrangements about:
- how the deceased will be farewelled
- where and how they will be laid to rest
- how their place of rest will be marked.
These decisions include expenses such as buying a burial plot and hiring a venue for a funeral reception.
Choosing a cemetery
Brisbane’s cemeteries and crematoria offer different ways to honour residents who have passed.
Council manages 12 cemeteries and crematoria across the city:
-
Bald Hills Cemetery
-
Balmoral Cemetery
-
Brookfield Cemetery
-
Cedar Creek Cemetery
-
Hemmant Cemetery and Crematorium
-
Lutwyche Cemetery
-
Moggill Cemetery
-
Mt Gravatt Cemetery and Crematorium
-
Nundah Cemetery
-
Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium
-
South Brisbane Cemetery
-
Toowong Cemetery.
Not all locations have available burial plots, or may have limited options.
Burial options
The burial options available depend on which cemetery you choose.
Our cemeteries offer 4 burial options:
-
lawn burials
-
lawn beam burials
-
monumental burials
-
vaults.
At some cemeteries, re-use of family graves may also be available.
Lawn gravesites feature bronze plaques on granite or concrete bases on the grave at ground level.
To maintain the condition of a lawn cemetery, these items are prohibited on lawn graves:
-
more than 2 containers for flowers
-
glass or metal containers
-
solar lights
-
pot plants
-
pebbles
-
plastic windmills
-
fencing.
Lawn burials are available at:
-
Hemmant
-
Mt Gravatt
-
Pinnaroo.
These plots feature bronze plaques on a common beam of concrete. There is an area to place floral tributes on the beam on either side of the plaque.
Available at:
-
Bald Hills
-
Brookfield
-
Hemmant
-
Mt Gravatt
-
Pinnaroo.
These burial sites are more traditional than lawn sites. They feature headstones made of granite, concrete, sandstone or marble.
You must engage an authorised monumental stonemason to construct the headstone. The mason will apply for the necessary permit from Council.
The construction and maintenance of the monument remains the responsibility of the family and their descendants.
Monument burials are available at:
-
Hemmant
-
Mt Gravatt
-
Bald Hills
-
Brookfield.
Vaults are concrete structures that seal caskets either above or below the ground during burial.
They're available at Mt Gravatt Cemetery.
You can re-use a family grave for burials or ashes if you’re:
-
a direct descendant of the people buried in the grave
-
related to the burial rights holder.
To be eligible, the grave must have space, or the last burial must have been more than 30 years ago.
Apply to re-use a family grave
To apply to re-use a family grave when there’s space for more burials, including ashes:
-
complete the Burial Consent Declaration form
-
have a Justice of the Peace (JP) witness your signature on the form
- send your completed form to:
Brisbane City Council Cemetery Administration
Lutwyche Cemetery
GPO Box 1434
Brisbane 4001
To apply to re-use a family grave when the last burial was more than 30 years ago:
- complete the Burial Consent Declaration For Re-use of Family Grave form
- have a Justice of the Peace (JP) witness your signature on the form
- send your completed form to:
Brisbane City Council Cemetery Administration
Lutwyche Cemetery
GPO Box 1434
Brisbane 4001
Burial costs
The cost of burials at cemeteries and crematoria depends on the type of grave you require and the memorial you’d like to have.
Charges include:
- burial rights
- first interment
- provision and installation of one standard bronze plaque with one inscription (for lawn graves and lawn beam graves only).
| Grave type | Cemetery available | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn grave | Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt and Hemmant | $6,300 |
| Historical monumental and lawn beam grave (where availability exists) | Bald Hills and Brookfield | $8,677 |
| Monumental grave | Mt Gravatt and Hemmant | $5,324 |
| Monumental grave with in-ground foundation | Mt Gravatt | $6,355 |
| Grave for ashes interment only | Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt and Hemmant | $3,908 |
| Grave for ashes interment only (where availability exists) | Bald Hills and Brookfield | $6,349 |
Charges for opening a grave site.
| Grave type | Cemetery | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn grave | Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt and Hemmant | $3,109 |
| Monumental grave | Mt Gravatt and Hemmant | $3,196 |
| Historical lawn or monumental grave | Refer to list of historical cemeteries | $3,378 |
| Vault grave | Mt Gravatt | $440 |
| Ashes interments in a grave | All cemeteries | $654 |
Plaques for lawn graves and lawn beam graves are mounted on a concrete base and installed directly onto the lawn or beam. Granite bases are available for an additional charge.
Optional extras:
-
photographs
-
emblem features
-
inscriptions
-
colours.
Plaques can take up to 12 weeks to be placed on the grave.
You can view the different plaque options at our cemetery offices in:
-
Pinnaroo
-
Mt Gravatt
-
Hemmant
-
Toowong.
For information on plaque fees and charges, phone Council on 07 3403 8888.
A headstone usually marks a monumental grave or a historical grave.
They can be constructed on a grave 6 to 12 months after the burial, depending on the style chosen. Headstones must be constructed by an authorised monument stonemason.
Maintenance of headstones is the responsibility of the family and descendants of the deceased.
Find a monument stonemason authorised to operate in our cemeteries:
| Name | Phone number |
|---|---|
| AA Batstone Monumental Mason | 0417 718 947 |
| A Di Michele Pty Ltd | 0407 670 011 |
| A&A Monumental Masons | 0418 774 572 |
| AJL Projects | 0439 933 736, 0418 744 710 |
| Alpha 1 Memorials | 0400 281 320 |
| Australian Stonemasonry and Tiling Specialists | 0421 427 319 |
| Beta Memorials | 0411 246 157 |
| Builbase International | 0403 650 122 |
| C&K Tiling | 07 3100 8878 |
| Classical Stone Australia | 0413 494 080 |
| Country Lane Stone Masons | 0413 600 787 |
| Dynasty Stone | 02 9743 9992 |
| Poloni Monumental | 0411 836 042 |
| Evans Memorials | 0438 376 975 |
| Go Stone Qld | 0477 859 763 |
| HAAG Monumental Masons | 07 3281 4805 |
| J.H Wagner & Sons | 07 3279 5226 |
| Legacy Monuments | 0429 390 039 |
| MMS Memorials | 07 3265 5433 |
| Queensland Heritage Masonry | 07 3393 9166 |
| T. Wrafter & Sons Pty Ltd | 07 3267 5500 |
| Thurlow Stonemasonry Services Pty Ltd | 07 3824 4664 |
Cremations
Cremation allows you to honour the deceased in more personalised ways. It also involves fewer expenses compared to a burial.
Cremation services are available at crematoria in Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt and Hemmant.
Cremated remains can be:
-
placed in a memorial wall or garden site in a cemetery (can be paid in advance)
-
interred in a family grave (can be paid in advance)
-
placed in a memorial urn for your family to keep (can be pre-purchased and taken in advance)
-
scattered at a favourite or meaningful location (ask a Council officer about location and permission).
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (over 12 years) | $719 |
| Child (2 to 12 years) | $368 |
| Infants (under 2 years) | No charge |
| Witness cremation – chapel must be hired to witness a cremation at Mt Gravatt | $280 |
Chapels and reception facilities
There are memorial chapels and function rooms available at:
Chapel services
Our memorial chapels are suitable for all types of funeral services, religions and ethnicities.
Live streaming of funerals is provided free of charge for all services conducted in our chapels.
Family and friends who are unable to attend a service can watch it in real-time or after the event, and they can download a copy of the service to keep indefinitely.
| Hire period | Price |
|---|---|
| Per hour (15-minute funeral director setup and 45-min service.) |
$474 |
Reception facilities
After a funeral service, family and friends can get together to commemorate the life and passing of their loved one in a peaceful environment.
Our catering services provide a selection of quality food accompanied by hot and cold beverages, and each facility has an indoor and outdoor area for guests.
| Facility hire | Price |
|---|---|
| Reception room hire (per hour or part thereof) | $166 |
Catering services are also available, offering quality food and hot and cold beverages.
Food available to order includes:
- homebaked scones with jam and cream
- rice paper rolls
- mini baguettes
- mini pies
- sausage rolls
- fruit and cheese platters.
Before you order, please note:
- only food provided by the caterers is permitted on the premises
- uneaten food may not be taken from the premises
- gluten free (GF) options are included
- 10% of menu items are vegetarian – additional dietary requirements are available
- BYO beverages are not permitted (our caterers are licensed)
- if numbers exceed the original estimate, caterers will approach the family contact to discuss options.
Catering menu options and fees are available through your funeral director.
Planning a funeral and reception
You don’t need to plan a funeral on your own. Contact a funeral director for help to arrange:
-
legislative paperwork, including applying for a death certificate
-
transport of the deceased
-
funeral notifications.
A funeral director can guide you through the key funeral planning decisions and steps.
You can also use our guide to help you create a meaningful way to honour a loved one.
When you have considered the type of burial you require, arrange an appointment at your chosen cemetery or crematorium to:
- view available burial plots or cremation memorials
- have a Council officer show you the allocated grave and complete the paperwork (graves are allocated on a next-available basis)
- pay for a burial in an already pre-purchased family grave.
Purchasing a burial plot gives you the authority to decide who will be buried at the site.
Burial rights can be transferred to another person. They can only be transferred once and into one person’s name.
To transfer burial rights, the existing rights holder must complete the Burial Right Transfer Declaration.
When a burial rights holder cannot be located or is deceased, it may be possible for someone else to be buried at the site.
This will only be considered for a burial rights holder’s:
- spouse
- partner
- child
- relative
- direct descendent
- friend.
To apply for burial consent, you must complete the Burial Consent Declaration for Re-use of Family Grave form.
A funeral service is an opportunity to celebrate the life of a loved one who has passed.
Services can be held at:
- the graveside
- your chosen place of worship
- a memorial chapel at the Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt and Hemmant cemeteries. Chapel hire can pre-purchased with your burial plot or cremation service.
Live streaming of funerals is available in cemetery chapels. Family and friends unable to attend a service can watch it in real-time, after the event or download a recording.
A reception gives funeral attendees time to catch up, share memories and find comfort.
It can be held in a private venue or at reception facilities at the Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt and Hemmant cemeteries.
- Pinnaroo and Mt Gravatt comfortably accommodate up to 120 guests.
- Hemmant suits smaller groups up to approximately 70 guests (50 indoors and an additional 20 to 25 in the outdoor undercover area).
Frequently asked questions
The cost of a funeral varies depending on which services you choose to commemorate your loved one.
When planning a funeral, you will need to make decisions about where and how the deceased will be laid to rest, and if you will hold a funeral service and a reception.
Find out about burial charges or learn more about holding a reception.
Cremation costs vary according to the services required. This includes if you choose to:
- honour the deceased by purchasing an urn or a memorial site
- hold a funeral service or reception.
Learn more about cremation charges.
