Londonderry, Cranebrook: Cemetery to be largest in Southern Hemisphere

A massive project worth half a billion dollars will transform western Sydney bushland into the Southern Hemisphere’s largest cemetery and solve the city’s critical burial space shortage.

An ageing population means Sydney’s cemeteries are getting crowded. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

A $500 million project will transform “half of the Penrith local government area” into the Southern Hemisphere’s largest cemetery in a bid to solve the city’s critical shortage of burial space for “the next 800 years”.

The Deerubbin Aboriginal Land Council is in discussions with the State Government to develop more than 2000 hectares of land at Cranebrook and Londonderry into a 400,000-plot cemetery, while the remainder of the site will be used for an agricultural precinct and 125 houses on rural plots.

The 225-hectare, burial-only Londonderry Bushland Cemetery will eclipse the size of Rookwood by 35 hectares to address the dire need for interment space.

Work on the project — which borders Castlereagh, Northern and Llandilo roads and the Western Sydney University Hawkesbury campus — is expected to start in five years and wrap up in a decade.

Deerubbin has presented a detailed proposal to the State Government, which it is inviting to negotiate the implementation of the project that will inject $273 million into the economy and generate 3250 jobs.

Deerubbin chief operating officer Stephen Wright said Sydney was running out of places for corpses and the cemetery would carry out 2000 burials a year.

The green and purple markings note land to be developed for a cemetery, agriculture and housing. Picture: Google Earth

Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council chief operating officer Stephen Wright. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“There’s still a number of communities where burial is very important and land is rapidly running out so there needs to be more cemetery land,’’ he said.

“This solves the problem once and for all. It will cover the death rate for 800 years.’’

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Vic Alhadeff labelled the cemetery as a game changer for the followers of the faith, which forbids cremation.

“We will run out of burial space for the Jewish community within approximately five to six years and that’s a critical situation,’’ he said.

“Just the fact that a new cemetery is on the table can only be a major positive, and not only for the Jewish community but for our friends in other Christian communities, the Muslim communities. Ethnic communities are facing critical shortages of burial space right now and the Jewish community is one of them.’’

Social demographer Mark McCrindle said Sydney’s soaring population and death rate warranted another cemetery.

Londonderry Bushland Cemetery will surpass Rookwood cemetery in size by 35 hectares. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“The annual number of deaths in Australia has been rising because we’ve got not only a growing population but an ageing one and so we have at the moment 30,000 more deaths per annum than we had a decade ago,’’ he said.

In 2019, there was just under 170,000 deaths in Australia and 34,000 deaths in greater Sydney, which comprises one fifth of the nation’s population.

“We have a growing population in Sydney and therefore we’ll have a growing deaths per annum as well ... that’s the demand we’re dealing with,’’ Mr McCrindle said.

“Western Sydney will be taking the bulk of Sydney’s burials because there’s not much supply, much availability in the rest of Sydney. It’s not just meeting the demands for western Sydney, it’s meeting the demands for the whole of Sydney.’’

At nearby Wallacia Golf and Country Club, Catholic Metropolitan Cemetery Trust first floated plans for a cemetery four years ago but have been knocked back following backlash from the community and Mulgoa state Liberal MP Tanya Davies.

A decision on its future is expected to be made in February.

Under the Deerubbin’s vision for the Londonderry precinct, flowers and food would be cultivated over 410 hectares in the Deerubbin Agricultural Precinct.

“It will be Sydney’s largest horticultural project,’’ Mr Wright said.

“It will have everything you can grow in a glasshouse. It’s just a massive food bowl and it’s less than 30 minutes from the Western Sydney Airport.’’

Sydney cemeteries such as Rookwood are running out of burial space. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Wright insisted the dwellings planned to occupy 320 hectares would be on large lots and not be “another Jordan Springs,’’ an “unattractive’’ community near Penrith.

“We’re very responsible developers he said.

Almost 1000 hectares will be given back to the government for conservation to protect 21 flora and fauna species and for public recreation space.

The Deerubbin council is the largest private land holder in the Penrith, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Hills local government areas.

It will begin further negotiations with the government this month.

A Planning, Industry and Environment Department spokesman said it had provided comprehensive information and advice to Deerubbin on studies needed for an assessment of the project’s feasibility and merit.

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