We regularly inspect headstones and monuments at our cemeteries and memorial gardens to make sure they're safe for people visiting our sites.
In line with industry safety and maintenance standards, we inspect all headstones and monuments at least once every five years.
Newer burials follow Australian safety standards and are generally less likely to pose a risk. However our sites include many older gravesites dating back to the mid 1900s or earlier, when the current safety standards did not apply. Over time, weather, shifts in ground and other events have also contributed to making some older sites unstable.
Our priority is to keep our sites safe, while respectfully managing the burial and memorial sites in our care.
How safety testing works
- Our staff will visually inspect each site and apply a firm amount of pressure to any structures such as headstones and monuments.
- If there is any movement or visual signs of degradation, the headstone is safely laid down on the site. Items are laid face-down to protect inscriptions from weather and erosion.
- Care will be taken not to interfere with the site beyond what is needed to make the site safe.
- We then try to contact family or interment rights holders of the affected site to follow up on any further action or care needed.
You can also watch the video below to learn more.
More information
If you have a question or concern about safety testing at our sites, please contact us.