Burial options
Brisbane City Council offer three types of burial sites at our cemeteries: lawn burials, lawn beam burials and monumental burials.
Lawn burials
Unlike traditional headstones, lawn gravesites feature bronze plaques on granite or concrete bases on the grave at ground level.
When visitors overlook a lawn cemetery, they see a panorama of lawn.
Challenges can be experienced in these lawn areas with ground movement over time causing plaques to ‘sink’. If you have concerns about this, please notify the cemetery office where arrangements can be made to have the plaque lifted.
Remediated lawn burials
Remediated lawn gravesites are original lawn graves. A cement beam is added at the end of the grave as a base for the plaque, rather than the grass. The remediated lawn graves are tidier and easier to maintain. You can place floral tributes on the common cement beam rather than the grass.
Remediation projects have been undertaken in lawns at Mt Gravatt, Lutwyche and Pinnaroo Cemeteries.
Lawn beam burials
Council installs lawn beams in all their cemeteries when they develop a new lawn area.
In these areas, Council places bronze plaques on sloped desk-style granite or concrete bases on a common beam of concrete. There is an area to place floral tributes on the beam on either side of the plaque. These floral tributes remain during lawn maintenance. The lawn beam areas feature a neat and orderly grassed environment.
Order plaques for lawn beam areas through Council.
Lawn beam graves are available at the following cemeteries:
- Bald Hills (historical cemetery)
- Brookfield (historical cemetery)
- Hemmant
- Mt Gravatt
- Pinnaroo.
Refer to 'historical monumental and lawn grave costs for lawn beam burials at historical cemeteries.
Monumental burials
Monumental burial sites are more traditional than lawn or lawn beam sites. These areas feature headstones made of granite, concrete, sandstone or marble. This type of gravesite allows for individual expression, with the option for designs of cultural or family significance.
You must engage an authorised monumental stonemason to construct the headstone. Council must give permission to erect a monument on the grave. The monumental mason you select to construct your memorial will apply for the necessary permit.
The construction and maintenance of the monument remains the responsibility of the family and their descendants.
Monumental graves are available at Mt Gravatt, as well as the following historical cemeteries:
Burials in existing family graves may be available.
Refer to 'historical monumental and lawn grave costs for lawn beam burials at historical cemeteries.
Historical graves
There are nine Council historical cemeteries containing either lawn or monumental sites. Council established these cemeteries in the 1800s. They have limited or no space available for burials and are heritage listed. Only Toowong Cemetery still has a manned office and on-site grounds people. A mobile burial team and a mobile maintenance crew service the other eight historical cemeteries as required.
Monumental burial sites are still available at the following historical cemeteries:
Lawn beam burial sites are still available at Bald Hills and Brookfield Cemeteries.
Burials in existing family graves may be available. This is only where the grave still has space or the last burial was more than 30 years ago. Family grave re-use is only available to direct descendants of the people already buried in the grave or those related to the burial right holder.
You can download family grave re-use application forms.
Refer to 'historical monumental and lawn grave costs for lawn beam burials at historical cemeteries.
Burial rights
The person who has rights to a particular grave site, including the right to determine who will be buried in the burial site is referred to as the burial right holder. A person becomes the burial right holder when they:
- Pre-purchase a grave for themselves.
- Purchase a grave for a recently deceased person.
- Are transferred the burial right from an existing burial right holder.
When a burial right holder cannot be located
Council will make every reasonable effort to contact the legal burial right holder. Where the burial right holder is unable to be contacted, Council will permit, upon receipt of a Burial Consent Declaration Form, in its discretion, a spouse, child, partner, relative, direct descendent or friend of the burial rights holder to be buried in the grave provided there is no reason to believe that the burial rights holder would have objected.
If the burial rights holder is deceased
If inquiries reveal that the burial right holder is deceased, all burial rights cease and revert back to Council. Council will permit, upon receipt of a Burial Consent Declaration Form, in its discretion, a spouse, child, partner, relative, direct descendent or friend of the burial rights holder to be buried in the grave provided there is no reason to believe that the burial rights holder would have objected.
The burial rights to a site can only be transferred once and into one person’s name and the burial rights cannot be transferred if the existing burial right holder is deceased. To transfer the burial rights the existing burial right holder is required to complete the following form:
Family grave re-use
Burials in existing family graves may be available. The grave must have space or the last burial was more than 30 years ago. Family re-use of graves are only available to:
- direct descendants of the people buried in the grave, or
- those related to the burial right holder.
Apply for family grave re-use
To apply to re-use family graves, download and complete the applicable form:
- When a grave still has space for more burials, including ashes:
- When a grave is full, but the last burial was more than 30 years ago:
You must sign the completed forms and have a Justice of the Peace (JP) witness them. Return by mail to the address on the form.
Where Council considers a grave full, you may require a test dig. Test dig fees apply. If the grave requiring a test dig has a concrete or stone top, the family will need to employ an authorised monumental stonemason to remove the top.
In the first instance, complete and return the family re-use form. Cemetery administration will investigate and advise you if further steps are required.
More information
Find out how to view available burial options at: