Cemeteries
The City of Busselton has four cemetery locations.
Busselton Cemetery
Busselton Cemetery is located on Vasse Highway, Yalyalup and was established in 1933.
The Cemetery offers the option of choosing burial sites in the Anglican, Catholic, Other Protestant Denomination or Muslim Sections. The memorials in these areas are of a more traditional nature.
Set in a peaceful location overlooking paddocks and surrounded by flowering trees, the manicured lawn section of the Busselton Cemetery offers a modern, non-denominational burial alternative.
The beams in the lawn cemetery allow for placement of individualised memorials, within the specifications provided for in the Busselton Cemetery Local Law.
Please contact the Cemeteries Officer on 08 9781 0444 to assist you and your family in finding a suitable option for your loved one.
Map of the Busselton Cemetery
Location Map
Dunsborough Cemetery
The Dunsborough Cemetery is located on Hansen Street in Dunsborough.
The Cemetery offers the option of choosing burial sites in the Anglican, Catholic, Other Protestant Denomination or Muslim Sections.
This Cemetery is unique as it is heavily treed and has been identified as an environmentally sensitive area with threatened ecological communities represented. This means that clearing is restricted and the cemetery is maintained in a natural state. Rare native orchids can be seen in Spring.
Please contact the Cemeteries Officer on 08 9781 8444 to assist you and your family in finding a suitable option for your loved one.
Location Map
Metricup Cemetery
The Metricup Cemetery located on Bussell Highway comprises of gravesites.
During the digging of the current graves it was found that the site has a granite shelf which makes further below ground burials impractical. In 1974 the cemetery was restricted to the interment of ashes and no new burial plots are available.
Location
Pioneer Cemetery
The Pioneer Cemetery (Old Busselton Cemetery) was officially proclaimed in 1856 and according to Western Australian Cemetery Records the first burial in the Cemetery was in 1864.
Burials ceased at the cemetery in the 1930’s.
The Cemetery was listed on the Heritage Register in May 1998 and is significant for the Busselton area as it was in use from the first years of European settlement.
Information on burials in this Cemetery can be found on the Busselton Family History Society Website.
Location
Burials
Burials are usually carried out by a funeral director who will arrange every aspect of the burial service for the family and liaise with the City of Busselton for burial locations, date and time.
Most graves in the Busselton and Dunsborough Cemeteries allow for two burials, one on top of the other.
Funeral Directors must hold a licence issued by the City of Busselton.
Funeral Director – Licence Application Form
An Application for Burial must be completed and received by the City of Busselton at least 2 working days prior to the date and time of the burial. This application is for Funeral Directors only.
Burial – Application Form
Burials must be conducted as per the Cemeteries Act 1986 and the City of Busselton Cemeteries Local Law 2015.
Please contact our Cemeteries Officer on 08 9781 0444 to discuss specific cultural or religious requirements for burials including the option of family filling the grave.
Ashes
The City of Busselton offers many spaces in our cemeteries for interment of ashes and memorialisation.
We can help you to tailor a memorial to reflect the needs of each individual and family. We can assist you in designing your plaque and provide you with personal options for memorialisation.
Single, Double and Family lots are available. Pre Need options and Reservations can also be arranged.
Please contact the Cemeteries Officer for an appointment on 08 9781 0444.
Busselton Cemetery - Spaces for Interment of Ashes
- Niche Wall
- Memorial Drive
- Native Garden
- Rose Garden
- Contemplation Garden
- Jacaranda Tree Gardens
- Memorial Bench
- Children’s Memorial Garden
Dunsborough Cemetery - Spaces for Interment of Ashes
- Niche Wall
- Memorial Drive
- Native Garden
- Rose Garden
- Tree Gardens
Ashes may also be placed within existing graves provided that permission from the Grant of Right of Burial holder is given. Please contact the Cemeteries Officer on 08 9781 0444 to discuss options and arrange placement of ashes.
Ashes – Interment and/or Memorial Placement Form
Ashes – Transfer/Removal Form
Memorials
Memorials provide families and friends with a tangible source of comfort in the form of a place of remembrance in tribute to the life of their loved one. Families take great solace in visiting memorials as they represent an everlasting reminder of times shared together.
All monumental works must be approved by the City of Busselton, preferably through a monumental mason, prior to placement in the Cemetery.
Monumental Masons must hold a Licence issued by the City of Busselton
Monumental Mason – Licence Application Form
Monuments (Traditional Areas)
All monuments in the traditional Anglican, Catholic, OPD or Muslim Sections shall:
- be made of natural stone
- be placed on a base of natural stone
- comply with the following specifications:
- unless a greater height is approved by the CEO, the overall height of a monument above the original surface of the grave shall not exceed 1.2m
- the height of the base of the monument above the original surface of the grave shall not be less than 150 mm nor more than 450 mm
- the width of the base of the monument shall not exceed 1.2m
- the length of the base of the monument shall not exceed 2.4m
- the depth of the base of the monument shall not exceed 300 mm
Application for Monument Installation Form
Request for Memorial on a Grave with an Expired Grant
Request Minor Monument Repairs on a Grave with an Expired Grant
Headstones (Lawn Section)
All headstones in the Lawn Section of the Busselton Cemetery shall:
- be made of natural stone
- be placed on a base of natural stone
- comply with the following specifications:
- the height of the base of the headstone above the highest point of the original surface of the grave shall not be less than 150 mm nor more than 200 mm
- the overall height of the headstone, including the base, shall not exceed 1.2 m
- the length of the base of the headstone measured across the width of the grave shall not exceed 1m
- the width of the base of the headstone shall not exceed 300 mm
- that part of a headstone above its base shall not extend horizontally beyond that base.
Application for Monument Installation Form
Plaques
All plaques in the Ashes Interment Areas shall:
- be made of admiralty bronze or any other material approved by the Board
- if placed on a monument or headstone - not be less than the dimensions 140 mm x 110 mm, nor more than 560 mm x 305 mm
- if placed on any other memorial or in any other section of a cemetery - comply with the relevant specification in Schedule 2 of the Cemeteries Local Law relating to that section of the cemetery
Memorial Plaque Order Form – Children’s Garden
Memorial Plaque Order Form – General
Grant Right of Burial
A Grant of Right of Burial is a tenure agreement of a stated burial plot. This document gives the grant holder (Grantee) the right to conduct burials, inter ashes and erect a monument within the burial plot. The grantee can also deny any activity within the burial plot.
A Grant is issued for 25 years with the right of renewal for a further 25 years. It is important that the Grantee makes provisions in a legal document (e.g. their Will) to allow transfer of the Grant to another person to ensure their wishes will be carried out.
A Grant must be current if additional burials or ashes interments are to take place or for memorial work.
In some situations conflict can arise and responsibility for the outcome lies with the holder of the Grant.
Grant of Right of Burial – Pre-Purchase or Reservation Form
Grant of Right of Burial – Purchase/Renewal Form
Grant of Right of Burial – Next of Kin Update Form
Grant of Right of Burial – Transfer Form
Fees and Charges
City of Busselton - Schedule of Fees and Charges
General
- Please treat all elements within the Cemetery with dignity and respect
- Assistance dogs are welcome. Please leave your pets at home
Tributes on Memorials
- All tributes are to be contained within your plot
- Be respectful - ensure tributes do not encroach another family’s memorial
- Plastic reusable cemetery courtesy vases are available for your use in the gardens and lawn areas
- Please use only non-breakable vases or containers
- Tributes on the lawn section of the cemetery may be moved to the beam to allow for maintenance and reticulation
- Non-conforming and/or deteriorated tributes may be removed and disposed of by authorised officers
Plants and Trees
- No trees or shrubs shall be planted on any grave except such as approved by the Chief Executive Officer
- Any approved vegetation planted within graves will be the responsibility of the family to maintain
Maintenance
Individual families are expected to maintain their own graves and plots.
Authorised officers will maintain the surrounding environment within the cemetery area with the assistance from volunteers and community members.
Access
Visitors with mobility issues are invited to drive into the Busselton Cemetery grounds along designated roads. The automatic gates are open from 8:30am to 6:00pm daily.
Please use caution when driving within the cemetery:
- Do not exceed the 25kph limit
- Use the designated roads only
- Give pedestrians the right of way
- Park Responsibly