With work on the new ash walls and gardens at the Scarborough Cemetery nearing completion, community members are invited to check out the new memorial sites.
In May 2024, Council undertook an extensive construction project to increase memorial space at the cemetery. There are now up to 480 new ash memorial spaces available.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said that the Scarborough Cemetery has a long history of burials dating back to the 1890s.
“Scarborough Cemetery is one of the most scenic locations in the city, but it’s also limited by space as it overlooks the coastline. Up until very recently, there has been no room for new ash placements, with the cemetery already home to over a thousand ash memorials,” Cr Bradbery said.
“Now that works have finished, we’re pleased to share that the new memorial space and garden is open. This will come as good news to those who have long been interested in memorialising their loved one at the Scarborough Cemetery and now have the opportunity to purchase a place in the wall.”
Scarborough Cemetery is just one of nine cemeteries managed by Council. The recent upgrades build upon the broader work Council is doing to ensure residents and visitors receive care with dealing with recent death or remembering loved ones.
“Wollongong Memorial Gardens service has been operating since 1959. As the City of Wollongong’s population has increased and diversified, Council’s service has adapted over the years to meet the changing needs of our multicultural community,” Cr Bradbery said.
“In recent years, that includes offering new types of services such as our recent move to dedicate ground at the Wollongong Lawn Cemetery for natural burials. This environmentally focussed burial option is increasingly becoming popular with those who want an alternative to contemporary Western burial methods and modern funeral customs.”
