Purchasing a Burial Plot

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Burial License

It is important to note that technically BURIAL PLOTS ARE NOT SOLD OUTRIGHT, instead you buy a perpetual license for burial and use the land for that purpose. The word PURCHASE used here in this context means buying a burial license. Land title remains with the owner of the land; in majority of the cases cemeteries are built on crown land. This also means burial license holders are not responsible for any issues to do with the land in the future including that of land degradation, drainage issues, upkeep and maintenance, etc.

How to Purchase a Burial Plot in advance

Most cemeteries allow purchase of a burial plot for immediate use only. Time to time,  depending on availability, there may be some opportunities to prepurchase of plots for future to enquire please contact Muslim Cemeteries Board by emailing MCBNSW@gmail.com.

To purchase a plot for immediate use for a deceased relative, please contact your chosen funeral director (also note in the section below).

Burial Process A-Z

The process below is a guide-only for grieving families faced with a death of their loved ones. Every family is unique, as is their situation; a generic process may therefore not be exactly what an individual faces. Please seek advice from your local Imam, community leader, funeral director, cemetery operator, or contact MCB if your specific concerns are not addressed.

1. Determine place of death

i. Death at HOME

a) If death is due to a known illness and a known GP is willing to issue a death certificate then CONTACT YOUR GP

      • Decide preferred cemetery or the cemetery with pre-purchased plot
      • Call a Funeral Director servicing the preferred cemetery

b) If death involves suspected legal issues – CALL POLICE or 000

      • Seek police advice regarding the removal of the deceased
      • Decide preferred cemetery or the cemetery with pre-purchased plot
      • Call a Funeral Director servicing the preferred cemetery and ask them to transport the deceased’s body as per police advice (morgue/coroner’s court, hospital, etc.)
      • Funeral Director will transport the deceased’s body to the appropriate place and keep your family advised
      • Janaza can only happen after the body is released by police or the coroner’s court

c) For sudden death at home without prior illness and without GP involvement, the process will be the same as (b) above

ii. Death due to illness but in the care of an institution (e.g. hospital, palliative care, nursing home)

      • Relevant institution will arrange the death certificate
      • Family to decide preferred cemetery or the cemetery with pre-purchased plot
      • Call a Funeral Director servicing the preferred cemetery
      • Provide details to Funeral Director and follow their process

iii. Death in an Accident

      • CALL 000
      • Seek police advice regarding the removal of the deceased
      • Family to decide preferred cemetery or the cemetery with pre-purchased plot
      • Call a Funeral Director servicing the preferred cemetery and ask them to transport deceased’s body as per police advice (morgue/coroner’s court, hospital, etc.)
      • Funeral Director will transport deceased’s body to the appropriate place and keep your family advised
      • Janaza can only happen after the body is released by the coroner’s court

2. Prepare for Burial

i. Discuss details with the Funeral Director (this discussion should occur while waiting for the body to be released by the police or coroner)

      • Attend to all interment related paperwork either online or at the Funeral director’s office
      • Discuss the cost of funeral, including grave plot if not pre-purchased. Please note that purchasing a plot does not include land title, you are only acquiring a perpetual licence to bury your loved ones
      • If there is a pre-purchased plot, provide the cemetery contact details and plot number to the Funeral Director; they will contact the cemetery to locate the plot and make it ready to receive the body
      • If the deceased has a plot at Kemps Creek purchased through instalment, call Kemps Creek Cemetery to settle the account
      • Family should discuss washing and Janaza plans with the Funeral Director, including:
        • Family involvement in washing, time of washing, etc.
        • Special needs such as using own Ihram (from Hajj or Umrah)
        • The place for Janaza (funeral directors may charge extra for transporting the body to places outside their area of operation)
        • Choice of Imam or family member to lead the Janaza

3. Other points to consider prior to and during burial

  • Funeral directors will charge additional fees for transporting a body interstate as it involves third-party transport. If applicable, discuss such cost with the Funeral Director
  • The funeral director’s role is to transport the body to a cemetery; their insurance may not cover carrying the body to the grave and placing it inside. Your family should prepare an adequate number of volunteers to do this and seek advice from the cemetery operator or MCB representative on-site (only at Kemps Creek)
  • Headstones are included in the burial cost at all cemeteries:
    • They are pre-cut into a standard size and shape that cannot be varied, but some cemeteries allow different colours
    • Inscriptions are also predefined and must be chosen from a set of standard layouts with text
    • While the Funeral Director collects the total cost for burial and headstone, the family is responsible for discussing the headstone details with the cemetery operator and following up on installation
  • The death certificate issued by the GP or hospital is for burial purposes only
    • Contact the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and pay the appropriate tariff to obtain a full death certificate. This is an important document for administering estate, the deceased’s will, insurance claims, accessing the deceased’s bank accounts, super fund, etc. Consult the Service NSW website for further details on the use of death certificates.