Why a growing number of South Australians are choosing to craft their own coffins ahead of time

In the back shed of an Adelaide Hills property a coffin is being lovingly prepared for – and by – a woman who is very much alive. She’s not the only South Aussie crafting her own coffin.

Robyn Ticehurst works on her eco-friendly coffin at her Kanmantoo home. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Adelaide Hills grandmother Robyn Ticehurst is putting the finishing touches on her coffin. It’s not that she is planning on “kicking the planet” anytime soon or has any morbid fascination with death.

But the environmentally-conscious 66-year-old does want to have a say in how and where she will be laid to rest when the time comes, recently signing up for a special eco coffin-making workshop series.

She is part of a growing number of South Australians – and a global movement that included the late Prince Phillip – keen to embrace the concept of dying sustainably.

When finished, Ms Ticehurst’s tree of life-themed eco plywood coffin will be stored as a flat pack until it is needed.

“I think, at first, it was a bit confronting for some of my children and grandchildren when I decided to purchase and decorate a coffin,” the Kanmantoo resident said.

“But (the workshops) have made me think about my life and created lots of in-depth discussions about death and end-of-life choices.

When finished, Robyn Ticehurst will store her own eco-friendly coffin as a flat pack, until it is needed. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“My daughter and granddaughter in Melbourne have two pieces of the coffin – from the end and the top – which they are decorating for me.”

Ms Ticehurst is one of 15 participants in the Gawler Environment Centre’s Eco Coffin project, the brainchild of Adelaide celebrant and PhD student Abby Buckley.

“We are changing the way we live and are more about conscious about living sustainably but when it comes to death, it is like people just mindlessly do whatever they’ve done before (yet) what are we doing with our bodies after death, is actually not very good for the environment,” Ms Buckley said

“This project creates a place for people to talk about these issues … to think about what they would like (to happen when they die) and to plan and talk about that with their families.”

Ms Buckley said SA was the only place in Australia where natural burials were included in legislation, yet many people were unaware of it.

“It is about looking to nature for a more sustainable way of thinking about responding to death in our lives,” she said.

The eco coffin project is the brainchild of Adelaide celebrant Abby Buckley.

“I have found people of all ages are becoming more interested in learning about what their options are with death and do it before they are emotionally caught up with grieving for their own death or a loved one’s death.

“Through decorating your own coffin, it becomes so personal … the magic is in the stories behind what each person has done on their coffin and it helps a person come to terms with their own mortality.”

The coffins created through the eco-project will be on display from the end of the month at the Gawler Civic Centre as part of the SA Living Arts Festival (SALA).