Manly Cemetery, Fairlight: More space for deceased loved ones
Graveyards in Sydney are running out of space, but Northern Beaches Council has revealed plans to accommodate the remains of hundreds more of its residents in a cemetery that's been full for 50 years.
Manly
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A northern beaches cemetery is set to make room for the remains of more than 600 more people to help ease pressure on local graveyard waiting lists.
Northern Beaches Council wants to build a new columbarium — a wall with multiple niches to hold the ashes of the deceased — at Manly Cemetery.
It will also extend an existing columbarium, as part of a new memorial garden, to accommodate even more cremated remains.
The graveyard, on Griffiths Rd, Fairlight, has been closed to the sale of new burial sites for more than 50 years.
Plans for the 23-metre long columbarium have been released for public comment as a NSW Government report predicted that the biggest local graveyard — Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery — will run out of burial space within 11 years.
And in November the Manly Daily reported that dozens of old unused graves in Mona Vale Cemetery were being claimed back by the council.
Officials have been contacting people who bought the 28 plots at Mona Vale decades ago to advise them they have missed their burial deadline.
Mona Vale was expected to reach capacity for the sale of new sites within the next five to eight years, the council confirmed.
The Frenchs Forest cemetery, a 22ha facility on Crown Land at Davidson that is not managed by the council, will be full by 2032, the “11th Hour — Solving Sydney’s Cemetery Crisis” report predicted.
But management at the Bushland Cemetery, which is overseen by the Northern Metropolitan Cemeteries Land Manager (NMCLM), rejected that prediction.
“We believe the reported figures on Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery are inaccurate,” the NMCLM told the Manly Daily.
About 25 per cent of the cemetery, which opened in 1940, is yet to be developed and it is understood burials should be able to continue there until about 2060.
On its website the council predicted that the ”waiting list for new burial and memorial sites is expected to grow in the future with Manly Cemetery closed to new burials”.
It wants to build the new columbarium wall, as well as the small memorial garden on the eastern side of the cemetery.
The proposed new columbarium would be about 23 long, made up of four granite walls, up to 1,8m high, running along the cemetery’s eastern boundary.
“It would include two sandstone end pillars or columns similar in style and character as the existing columbarium,” the council said.
“A curved memorial garden is proposed within the circular area opposite the existing columbarium. It includes a border wall of niche spaces with Rosemary and Camellias in the garden bed, a seat for reflection and a granite plinth with a raised prayer plaque.”
Acting council CEO Jeff Smith said there were about 300 vacant grave sites at Mona Vale Cemetery with potential for a maximum additional 400 sites over the next five to eight years.
When asked if was the council was considering any new cemeteries, or extending its current graveyards, Mr Smith said it was reviewing cemetery services.
When the northern beaches will run out of burial plots
On February 26
The biggest graveyard on the northern beaches will run out of burial space within 11 years, according to an official NSW Government report.
Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery, a 22-hectare facility on Crown Land at Davidson will be full by 2032, the “11th Hour — Solving Sydney’s Cemetery Crisis” report predicted.
The report, completed by consultants for the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, stated that the cemetery, which has about 18,000 plots, was moving closer to not accepting new burials.
But management at the Bushland Cemetery, which is overseen by the Northern Metropolitan Cemeteries Land Manager (NMCLM), rejected the prediction.
“We believe the reported figures on Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery are inaccurate and look forward to an invitation to discuss findings with the (Property) Minister Melinda Pavey,” the NMCLM said in a statement to the Manly Daily.
About 25 per cent of the cemetery, which opened in 1940, is yet to be developed and it is understood burials should be able to continue there until about 2060.
The “11th Hour” report recommended that to avoid the shortage of grave sites, the NSW Government immediately acquires land for new cemeteries and crematoria in Sydney.
It also called for all new cemeteries to only offer renewable tenure interments — the ability for cemeteries to reuse a grave after a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of 99 years, with exceptions for some religious and cultural groups.
Under the current law a person does not actually “buy” the gravesite, but purchases the “perpetual interment right” to have remains interred in a particular location forever.
The report also recommended the removal of mandatory coffin burials “to facilitate decomposition”.
In November the Manly Daily reported that dozens of old unused graves in Mona Vale Cemetery were being claimed back by the council.
Officials have been contacting people who bought the 28 plots at Mona Vale decades ago to advise them they have missed their burial deadline.
Under NSW law if remains are not placed in a grave within 50 years of its purchase, cemetery owners can grab the grave back and resell the burial rights.
Northern Beaches Council, which also owns Manly Cemetery, at Fairlight, stuck “Notice of Intention to Revoke Interment Rights” signs on the unused graves at Mona Vale.
Revocation is the cancellation or taking back of this perpetual interment right by a cemetery operator if the grave has not been used within 50 years of purchase.
Mona Vale was expected to reach capacity for sale of new sites within the next five to eight years.
There are about 300 vacant grave sites at Mona Vale Cemetery with potential for a maximum additional 400 sites over the next five to eight years.Acting council CEO Jeff Smith said Manly cemetery has been closed to sale of new sites for more than 50 years.
“However there continue to be infrequent burials as well as cremation interments in pre-owned family graves,” Mr Smith said.
When asked if was the council was considering any new cemeteries, or extending its current graveyards, Mr Smith said it was reviewing cemetery services as part of wider review of service delivery across the northern beaches and would consider the recommendations of the “11th Hour report” as part of that review.
EARLIER
Council makes grave decision to grab back empty plots
By Jim O'Rourke, November 5, 2020
Dozens of old unused graves in a cemetery on the northern beaches are being claimed back by the council.
Council makes grave decision to grab back empty plots
Officials have been trying to contact people who bought the 28 plots at Mona Vale Cemetery decades ago to advise them they have missed their burial deadline.
Under NSW law if remains are not placed in a grave within 50 years of its purchase, cemetery owners can grab the grave back and resell the burial rights.
Northern Beaches Council, which also owns Manly Cemetery, at Balgowlah, has recently stuck notices on the unused graves at Mona Vale.
The “Notice of Intention to Revoke Interment Rights” reminds those who bought their plot, or their families, that the burial rights were sold to them more than 50 years ago.
It states that the interment rights “are now eligible for revocation under Section 52 of the (NSW) Cemeteries and Crematoria Act”.
“If you believes you have a claim to this grave, or know someone who may have a claim, please contact Cemetery Administration,” the notice states.
Under the law a person does not actually “buy” the gravesite, but purchases the right to have remains interred in a particular location forever.
Revocation is the cancellation or taking back of this perpetual interment right by a cemetery operator if the grave has not been used within 50 years of purchase.
But when the burial right has passed the deadline, the council must make an effort to contact the owner of the site by registered post.
If no response is received within 28 days, the operator must send a second notice by registered post to the same person and any secondary contacts identified in the cemetery operator’s register.
Then, if no response is received, the operator must place an advertisement in the NSW Government and a major newspaper. The advertisement must also be displayed at the cemetery.
If there is no response to the advertisement within six months, the operator must send a final notice to the registered interment right holder, allowing 28 days for a response.
Council CEO Ray Brownlee said there was a limited supply of grave sites on the Northern Beaches and across metropolitan Sydney.
There are about 300 vacant grave sites at Mona Vale Cemetery with potential for a maximum additional 400 sites over the next five to eight years. Manly is currently being audited but numbers here are extremely limited.
“One of the ways to increase capacity is the revocation of grave sites bought more than 50 years ago but never used,” Mr Brownlee said.
“Council is actively working to contact people to ascertain whether these sites are still required.”
Mr Brownlee urged anyone who has purchased a grave site at Manly or Mona Vale cemeteries more than 50 years ago and never used it to contact the council as soon as possible.
At any time, before or during the notice period, an interment right holder can negotiate with the cemetery operator to either keep or sell the perpetual interment right.
A person who believes they have a claim to a grave where they bought burial rights more than 50 years ago, at Mona Vale or Manly cemetery, is urged to call 9970 1341 or email cemeteries@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au.
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