Cemeteries

HeroImage


City of Newcastle (CN) manages three cemeteries across the city - Wallsend, Stockton and Minmi. Minmi is non-operational but both Wallsend and Stockton offer pleasant and well-priced burial and ash memorial sites. There are lawn and monumental sites for burials, and memorial sites for the placement of ashes.

Quick Links:

Burials

Lawn Beam

CN has developed sections within Wallsend and Stockton cemeteries which are of concrete beam construction for lawn burials. This has been developed where a monument or a grave surround is not required. Lawn beam burials are suitable for people who like the idea of a lawn setting but prefer a headstone only marking the grave site.

Monumental

These sections allow full monumental structures to be erected over the grave site normally constructed of granite, marble and concrete.

Ashes

Niche Wall

A niche wall is a specially designed wall for placement of cremated remains (only one set of ashes can be placed in each space) and a granite memorial plaque with inscription is installed on the wall. The niche wall also provides the opportunity for a 'memorial only' plaque for those who choose to scatter ashes or inter them elsewhere. 

Memorial Garden Suite

Surrounding Niche Wall 1, at Wallsend Cemetery, is a memorial garden suite. A memorial garden suite is a specially designed garden for placement of cremated remains (only one set of ashes can be placed in each space) and a granite memorial plinth with inscription is installed into the ground.

Lawn Beam and Monumental

Additionally, placement of cremated remains can be interred into the ground of these sections.

Lawn Beam SiteMonumental Site

Niche Wall





Wallsend Cemetery

Location - Sandgate Road, Birmingham Gardens. The cemetery occupies an area of approximately 66,000 sq.m. (6.6ha). The first known interment was that of Robert Elliott in June 1896 in the Anglican Portion.

Burial Options

  • Lawn beam burial and ash interment
  • Monumental burial and ash interment
  • Niche Wall ash interment
  • Memorial Garden Suite ash interment

All areas are open for Perpetual Interment Right (previously known as Burial Licence) reservations and opening of pre-reserved plots/spaces.

Layouts: Wallsend Cemetery

NB: map depicts the sectional layout of the cemetery only. For information relating to vacant plots / spaces, please contact City of Newcastle's cemeteries officer for current availability.


Stockton Cemetery

Location - Fullerton Street, Stockton. The cemetery occupies an area of approximately 116,000 sq.m (11.6ha). The first known interment was that of John Taylor in June 1890 in the Anglican Portion. Stockton Cemetery Land Care Group assist with the maintenance of this cemetery; for further information on volunteering with this group, please contact Councils Bushcare Officer on (02) 4974 2000.

Burial Options

  • Lawn beam burial and ash interment
  • Monumental burial and ash interment
  • Niche Wall ash interment
  • Niche Wall Memorial Plaques (without interment).

All areas are open for Perpetual Interment Right (previously known as Burial Licence) reservation and opening of pre-reserved plots.

Layouts: Stockton Cemetery

NB: map depicts the sectional layout of the cemetery only. For information relating to vacant plots, please contact City of Newcastle's cemeteries officer for current availability.


Minmi Cemetery

Location - Minmi Road, Minmi. The cemetery occupies an area of approximately 11,000 sq.m. (1.1ha). The first known interment was that of baby boy Henry Jacob Estel in 1859. Records indicate there have been approximately 2,300 interments.

Burial Options

  • Monumental burial and ash interment

All areas are closed for new reservations. If it is safe to do so, burials can be still carried out in pre-reserved plots which have the capacity for further burials or placement of ash remains.

Layout: Minmi Cemetery


Plot Reservation - Perpetual Interment Right (previously burial licence)

Many people choose to pre-purchase a Perpetual Interment Right, to ensure their loved ones are not burdened with these choices during an emotional time. A Perpetual Interment Right is an exclusive right granted by CN (or its predecessors) for use of a burial plot, niche wall space or memorial garden suite space. These can be arranged 'at-need' when someone passes away as well. The holder of the Perpetual Interment Right (known as the Interment Right Holder or Grantee) has the sole authority to determine who can be interred in the burial plot, niche wall or memorial garden suite and to allow memorials including headstones, inscriptions etc. to be installed.

Application Forms have now been replaced by a Contract; Please contact CN via the Cemeteries Enquiry webform (link below) or on 4974 2000 to arrange an appointment with the Cemetery Officer. There is no change to the process for the Transfer of an existing Perpetual Interment Right; please submit the attached Transfer application.

  1. Perpetual Interment Right
  2. Perpetual Interment Right - Niche Wall
  3. Perpetual Interment Right - Memorial Garden Suite
  4. Perpetual Interment Right Transfer

Order for Interment (previously a burial permit)

An Order for Interment is required prior to an interment of bodily remains or placement of cremated remains into a cemetery. An Order for Interment application must be completed and signed by the Perpetual Interment Right holder (Grantee) and lodged by the Funeral Director prior to the burial or interment of ashes. The location of available plots or spaces, details of previous interments or placement of ashes must be verified by CN.

The depth of each grave upon first interment is dug to a depth to accommodate two burials. However, occasionally due to rock or stability problems not evident prior to commencement of digging the grave, ground conditions may not allow for burial in the allocated plot. In these circumstances, an alternative plot will be allocated.

Ash remains can be interred within a burial plot - a maximum of six ash remains per plot are permitted, including any within a casket.

Ash remains being interred into a niche wall or memorial garden space, allow for one ash interment only per space.

Within a full-size plot, provision for a still-born pocket can be made (providing the still-born is the first interment).

Application Forms:

  1. Order for Interment
  2. Order for Interment - Niche Wall
  3. Order for Interment - Memorial Garden Suite
  4. Order for Interment - Ashes into Grave

Monumental Works

Headstones, kerbs, markers, fences, stones vases (memorial or not), or the planting of any plants are not permitted without CN approval. CN reserves the right to remove any such items.

CN will only grant a monumental permit with the consent of the Grantee of the Perpetual Interment Right.

For permission to restore or construct any monument, memorial, foundation, tablet, headstone, gravestone, kerb railing or any other structure, a qualified tradesperson with a current Permit to Work in CN Cemeteries must complete and return the Application for Monumental Work and payment of the appropriate charged fixed by CN.

All works must be undertaken in accordance with the Australian Standard Headstones and Cemeteries Monuments AS 4204-2019 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 as a minimum. Works are not to commence prior to written CN approval and must comply with the requirements for the construction of monuments.

Specifically for lawn beam sections, headstone dimension must not exceed 1150mm width, 300mm depth and 850mm height.

Monument ownership and all the responsibilities therein, reside with the Grantee or his or her successor/s to the grave.

Application Forms:

  1. Monumental Works Permit

Burial History Requests

The records held by CN are those received when taking over the management of the cemeteries of 1 October 1967. Control of public cemeteries was altered by the Local Government Amendment Act No. 52 (Council of Cemeteries) which appointed Councils throughout New South Wales as Trustees of public cemeteries in their area. At that time, we requested all records held on behalf of the cemetery to be handed over, not all were received. Please note that all of CN's cemeteries have unknown and unmarked graves.

If you require historic information on several family members or friends, please submit a Cemeteries Enquiry webform (link below), including all details. Please note a prescribed fee may be charged for the retrieval of this information. Where possible we try to provide details of deceased relatives or friends who are buried in our Cemeteries. Minimum requirement for history search being first name and family name and date range of death.

Alternatively, Newcastle Library has an extensive family history research section (Local Studies) or the Newcastle Family History Society Inc have publicised burials for Wallsend, Stockton and Minmi Cemeteries.

Fees and Charges

View How much does it cost? Pages 35-36 of 139.

Contact Details

Enquiries

Phone - 02 4974 2000
Please submit a cemeteries enquiry online form below.

Mail

City of Newcastle
PO Box 489
Newcastle NSW 2300