Fraser Coast can now choose natural burials at Nikenbah

A natural burial site was approved by the Fraser Coast council late last year and now the option has become a reality for local residents.

Mayor George Seymour at the Nikenbah Natural Cemetery.

The Fraser Coast’s new natural burial cemetery at Nikenbah is now ready for use.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour had been pushing for a natural cemetery in the region for the past decade, with Nikenbah identified as a proposed site for the burial ground in October 2020.

At its November meeting, the Fraser Coast Regional Council voted to allow residents to opt for a natural burial at the new Nikenbah Natural Cemetery.

At the time, Mr Seymour said the facility would be ready to accept burials in early 2023.

“This new burial option is a result of community requests,” he said.

“While natural burials were not an option previously, the updated policy now allows for the natural burial cemetery on the Fraser Coast.

“People have always cared deeply about what happens to their remains, and this is a choice I think many people will make,” he said.

Having previously worked as a lawyer, Mr Seymour has helped many people with their wills over the years.

“One of the most personal things people can consider is what happens to their remains after they’re gone,” he said.

“People have a lot of choices now and this adds to those choices.”

In a video post on Facebook, Mr Seymour said the new cemetery would provide a new choice for people on the Fraser Coast.

He said the new cemetery would work as a lasting memorial and way for people to be remembered in a natural setting.

A natural burial is a funeral that seeks to make as little impact upon the environment as possible and to return a body to the earth in as natural a way as possible.

The Nikenbah location was identified as the most suitable option for the new cemetery due to soil composition and the natural vegetation at the rear of the site.

The site at Nikenbah is adjacent to the historic Aalborg Danish Cemetery.

In order not to disrupt the natural forestry, bodies will be buried in the most natural way possible.

There will also be no headstones at the site, but a precise record will be kept of where people’s loved ones are buried.

The locations of each burial will be marked at a central register at the entrance to the cemetery.

Coffins, caskets and shrouds must also be completely, and rapidly biodegradable if used as part of the burial.