Community Engagement

Northern Cemeteries’ mission statement is ‘Always caring for the community in all its diversity’. We are committed to engaging openly and transparently with the many communities we serve. We seek and value feedback and input to assist in best understanding the needs of the community and embrace sharing their ideas for shaping the future of our sites to enable us to deliver excellence in customer service.

Community Engagement Framework

01

Provide more information for communities:

Connecting with the diverse community groups we serve through our regular events throughout the year, information sessions and supplying information and brochures in a number of languages.

02

Understanding community needs:

Building personal relationships with community groups and key stakeholders, listening to their views and respecting the needs of different community groups and collaborating to assist and serve the community.

03

Reaching out to disadvantaged and marginalised communities:

Expanding relationships with all areas of the community, and partnering with community groups in assisting those less fortunate in the community.

04

Having conversations:

Understanding and respecting the Indigenous significance of site history, the cultural aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and embracing all other community, cultural and religious groups.

Helping the Koalas

We are assisting Taronga Zoo to rehabilitate koalas rescued from the path of bushfires in the Blue Mountains by providing Eucalyptus leaves from Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery. We were delighted when approached to help provide the much needed koala food as we are happy to help our wildlife.

Barnardos Christmas Gift Appeal

Thank you to all staff members for their generous contributions towards our toy drive. We received a personal thank you from the Gifts for Kids Team at Barnardos:

“This year has been a fabulous year for our appeal.  The generosity from all our donors, no matter how big or small you thought your contribution was, has made a significant and immediate impact on the kids and families in our care.

I personally was brought to tears on several occasions as I was overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity that I believe is alive and well in all our communities. I am very humbled by all the gifts we received.

With the devastating bush fires that are also impacting on our communities, your gifts have brought relief to our families that are in these areas.  It’s been a significant time for all our families and our staff who are currently still in fire zones with some of our families.”

Community Advisory Committee

Northern Cemeteries includes four sites located on Crown land in the northern suburbs of Sydney and one at Sandgate in Newcastle. Each site is committed to be actively part of its community and embraces a range of diverse communities with differing cultural, traditional and religious needs.

At the heart of Northern Cemeteries’ direction is a collective and genuine commitment to always listen and provide excellence in customer service. While we have implemented several customer and stakeholder focused services in the past, we are seeking to further engage the community with a view to understanding and planning for future needs.

Australia's First Peoples

Northern Cemeteries acknowledges the unique status of Australia’s First Peoples as the original people of this land. We recognise their cultures, histories and ongoing relationship and obligations to the land and waterways.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium and Field of Mars Cemetery acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land, the Darug People. The spirit of the Darug can be found across the region and we honour the memory of their ancestors.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Frenchs Forest Bushland Cemetery and Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land, the Gai-mariagal People. The spirit of the Gai-mariagal can be found across the region and we honour the memory of their ancestors.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Sandgate Cemetery acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land, the Awabakal People. The spirit of the Awabakal can be found across the region and we honour the memory of their ancestors.

Northern Cemeteries would like to inform you of the following measures and precautions we are putting in place in response to coronavirus.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the safety of families and the general public, we are limiting indoor funeral services to a maximum of 20 mourners.

Outdoor Burials allow a maximum of 30 mourners, who must maintain a safe social distance from one another.

We offer excellent free web-casting facilities for all those who are unable to attend chapel services and can conduct enquiries over the phone where necessary.

The cemetery continues to be open 6am to 6pm 7 days a week.

Office hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. Saturdays 9am to 4pm.

For all enquiries, please call our Customer Care team on 02 9805 0499.

Northern Cemeteries will continue to take all steps to care for our families and the community.