Burial space for 300 years in Geelong, say cemetery bosses despite graveyards with no available sites

Three cemeteries in the Geelong region are full and several have an estimated lifespan of less than 100 years but authorities say there is enough burial space to last for generations.

Geelong Cemeteries Trust chief executive Dean Matthews. Picture: Alan Barber

Three cemeteries in the Geelong region are full and several have an estimated lifespan of less than 100 years but authorities say there is enough burial space to last for generations.

Barrabool Hills Cemetery in Highton, Geelong West Cemetery in Herne Hill and Grovedale Cemetery have no grave sites available.

Less than 5000 burial plots are available at Mount Duneed Cemetery (640), Portarlington Cemetery (1250), Leopold Cemetery (3000) and Queenscliff Cemetery (3500).

But Geelong Cemeteries Trust chief executive Dean Matthews, which manages the sites, said the region has “burial space for generations”.

The trust, which operates 22 cemeteries across Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and the Colac Otway region, has 200 hectares of land available across all its locations.

This is equivalent to 329,000 graves, each accommodating up to three burials.

Mr Matthews said each cemetery has between five and 300 years worth of burial plots.

“Some of the smaller cemeteries in the outlying areas of Geelong may only have a handful of burials per year so they have a greater lifespan,” he said.

Mr Matthews said 70 per cent of the burial services it provides were cremations, which was an increase from 60 per cent in 2019.

“That takes a little bit of pressure off land for burials,” he said.

“Cremated remains take up less space and some people don’t have a memorial for their cremated remains (at a cemetery).”

Mr Matthews said the increase could be due to Geelong’s diverse community with various faiths preferring cremations over burials.

“It’s also important to acknowledge the way people memorialise will evolve as more environmentally conscious and contemporary options become available,” he said.

The trust started works on the Bellarine Memorial Park in Marcus Hill in 2018, which is expected to be completed in 2026.

The new cemetery will have space 87,000 graves once completed, or 150 years of service.

Mr Matthews said Bellarine Memorial Park would feature a Feng Shui burial area – a Chinese custom where bodies are buried facing running water or on a hill to maintain a balance of energy – and a natural burial area, where bodies are wrapped in a cotton sheet and placed into the ground.

The trust also recently completed its fourth mausoleum at Eastern Cemetery, which is expected to open soon.

Locations with plenty of burial sites include Geelong Memorial Park (35,000 plots or 120 years worth of space) and Flinders Memorial Park in Lara (51,000 plots or 70 years of space).

Geelong Cemeteries Trust chair John Mitchell said it “remains proactive in meeting future needs”.

“Our efforts in diligent planning and securing land ensure the availability of graves and cremation memorial positions for future generations,” he said.

Originally published as Burial space for 300 years in Geelong, say cemetery bosses despite graveyards with no available sites