Services » Cemeteries
Enquiries can be directed to the Cemeteries Co-ordinator on 9526 1111.
There are two cemeteries in the Shire, one in Serpentine and the other in Jarrahdale.
To give security to the local residents and people who have a link with the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire, Council has made provision for those people by way of introducing a policy only allowing people who have lived in the area, worked in the area, have family who live(d) in the area or were part of the Shire in some other way to have preference over other applications.
If a link with the Shire can be proven, even though the applicant may not have lived or been in the shire for many years, Council will allow a burial in Serpentine or Jarrahdale cemetery.
The Shire cemeteries are non-denominational.
The first step is to establish your entitlement to a plot within either of the cemeteries. Council has a policy clearly stating 'A demonstrable personal link to the area does not limit burial rights to a current local resident or family member, and can extend to a former resident, or other person with some other personal, social or cultural link with the area.' If the link is not the usual link eg. lived, worked, other family buried within cemetery, Council will assess each individual case on its merits.
Burials are usually carried out by a funeral director who arranges everything for the family and will deal directly with the shire if the burial is to be in one of its cemeteries. In the case of an Ashes Repository, the family can deal directly with the shire and arrange the placement of ashes, remembering a link must be established first.
A choice of either Jarrahdale or Serpentine Cemetery is currently available, but not the burial plot allotment. This will be allocated by Council staff.
A copy of the death certificate plus cremation certificate, as the case may be, is required for all burials/placements. Preferred burial times are Mondays between 12:30pm to 2pm, and Tuesdays to Fridays between 11:00am and 2pm.
If it is a second burial, the funeral director must sight the Grant of Right of Burial and arrange for the removal of any monument prior to burial taking place.
It is important to note, whoever is nominated as the Grantee on the Burial Application submitted by the Funeral Director, has the legal right over the burial plot. The original Grant of Right of Burial is required to be produced before a second burial can take place. The Grantee can approve or deny any activity within the burial plot which has a life span of 25 years.
For this reason it is important that the Grantee (if not the deceased’s partner) makes provisions in a legal document (eg their Will) to allow transfer of the grant to another person to ensure their wishes will be carried out. After the 25 year period has lapsed, an application for the re-issue of a Grant can be made for a further 25 years if the family should desire this. Further information can be obtained from Council.
If the Grantee no longer wants the legal responsibility the Grant of Right of Burial can be transferred to another person upon application and payment of a fee.
Monuments are not installed by Council and a separate application is completed through a monument mason, with the permission of the holder of the Grant of Right of Burial. Monuments are not usually placed until at least one winter season has lapsed allowing the earth to settle. Even after 6 months, if the new grave site has not experienced a winter period, movement within the grave site can happen if enough time is not set aside for settling, and of course this can be an upsetting time for the family which could be avoided.
In the Memorial Walk we have:
In the Memorial Wall we have: