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All burials must meet all provisions of the Burials and Cremation Act 1964 and any amendments of that Act. We do not pre-sell burial plots and you need to apply to us for burial permission and pay all relevant fees.

Burial Rights

Burial rights can be bought at the Cemeteries and Crematorium Office. Burial plots for first interments are available in the following cemeteries:

• Green Park
• Port Chalmers
• Waikouaiti
• Waitati
• Purakanui
• Portobello
• Macandrew Bay
• Broad Bay
• Allanton
• Otokia
• Middlemarch
• Hindon

Burial plots can only be bought at the time arrangements are being made for an interment. One named purchaser may also buy a neighbouring plot to form a “double or family plot” at this time.

You must have the permission of the Burial Rights owner for a burial to take place in an existing plot. If the owner is deceased, then you will need to apply for an “Authority to Inter in Existing Plot”.

If you have bought a burial plot but no burial has taken place in it, you may not sell or transfer ownership of it to a third party. The ground must be sold back to the DCC. We will pay the original purchase price.

Hours for Burials

Burials can be held:

• 9.00am - 4.00pm Monday - Friday
• 9.00am - 1.00pm Saturdays

There are no burials on public holidays except when Boxing Day and 2 January fall on a Sunday. In this case, cremations can take place on the Tuesday of the actual holiday, between 9.00am and 1.00pm.

If a burial is requested outside these hours, you will need to make arrangements the burial contractor who will charge an extra fee.

We need notification in writing of all intended burials at least six working hours before the interment. Your booked time will be confirmed by telephone. All burials for the Green Park, East Taieri, and West Taieri Cemeteries must be booked through the Dunedin City Council after hours number (03) 474 3510.

We will notify the interment contractor of your expected time of arrival. If this will differ greatly from that booked, you must make alternate arrangements directly through the contractor.

Maintenance of Graves

We maintain the cemeteries' grass pathways and surrounding planting beds. Graves will be levelled up if undue sinkage has occurred after burial. If you see sinkage you can report it to the Cemeteries and Crematorium Office and we will level the grave as soon as possible.

We are not responsible for the maintenance of any plot with surrounding concrete or steel framework or other structures. Floral tributes will be removed ten days after a burial has taken place.

Only the interment contractor or approved monumental masons may break the concrete covering on a grave. It is then your responsibility to reinstate it after a burial. You can discuss fees for this with the contrctor who performs this for you.

We do not supply or maintain white cross grave-markers.