Phillip Island Cemetery Trust

Terms and Conditions

for Rights of Interment, Memorials and Monuments

 

Definitions:

Holder of the Right of Interment (hereafter “Holder”) means the person recorded by the Phillip Island Cemetery Trust (hereafter “PICT” or the “Trust”) as holding the Right of Interment, or the person who has lawfully inherited, received transfer of, or is otherwise entitled to exercise that right.

Right of Interment (hereafter “ROI”) means the right granted by PICT to determine who may be interred in a particular grave, plot, niche or memorial position, subject to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act, cemetery regulations, PICT approval processes and these Terms and Conditions.

Policy or Policies means any policy, procedure, rule, guideline, requirement or condition adopted by PICT in relation to the operation, management, use, maintenance and administration of the cemetery (hereafter “Cemetery functions and facilities”). This includes, but is not limited to, policies relating to interments, reservations, Rights of Interment, memorials, monuments, plaques, cemetery grounds, visitor access, conduct within the cemetery, safety, maintenance and any other matter PICT considers necessary for the proper management of the cemetery.

PICT’s Policies may be amended, updated or replaced from time to time. Unless otherwise stated, any amended, updated or replacement Policy applies from the date it is adopted by PICT or published on PICT’s website.

Applicant means the person or persons making the application to PICT for Cemetery functions and facilities.

If you are the Applicant but you have nominated another person or persons as Holder of Right or if the Right of Interment is transferred to another person or persons, these Terms and Conditions (to the extent that they are applicable to Rights of Interment) apply to that other person or those persons as the Holder of Right.

The Holder agrees to comply with these Terms and Conditions, and any Policies as determined by PICT.

The Holder acknowledges that these Terms and Conditions may be amended, varied or replaced by PICT from time to time, at the Trust’s discretion and in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations and cemetery requirements.

  1. Rights Contained in the Right of Interment

The Holder is responsible for ensuring that PICT is kept informed of any change to their contact details.

The ROI may be transferred to another person in accordance with Division 2 of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act. Any proposed transfer of a ROI must be arranged through PICT. The Holder, or other person seeking to affect the transfer, must contact PICT and provide any documentation required by PICT before the transfer can be recorded or recognised by the cemetery.

PICT will update its cemetery records only once it is satisfied that the proposed transfer complies with the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act and any applicable cemetery requirements.

Where a monument, headstone, plaque or other approved memorial has been installed, the Holder is responsible for the ongoing maintenance, repair and safety of that memorial.

  1. Approval of Memorials, Plaques, Headstones and Monuments

No memorial, plaque, headstone, monument, kerbing, ledger, structure or other item may be installed, altered or removed without the prior written approval of PICT.

All applications for memorial work must be submitted to PICT for approval before any work commences. PICT may approve, refuse or require changes to any proposed memorial work at its discretion.

PICT reserves the right to determine acceptable materials, dimensions, design, inscriptions, installation methods and locations for all memorials and monuments within the cemetery.

Where a memorial, plaque, headstone, monument, structure or other item is installed, altered or placed without the prior written approval of PICT, the Trust may require the Holder to remove, alter or rectify the item within a reasonable period specified by PICT.

If the item is not removed, altered or rectified within that period, or if PICT considers the item to be unsafe, inappropriate, inconsistent with cemetery requirements or likely to interfere with cemetery maintenance, PICT may arrange for its removal, alteration or rectification. Any reasonable costs incurred by PICT in removing, altering, storing, disposing of or rectifying an unauthorised item may be recovered from the Holder.

  1. Monumental Lawn Beam Section

Headstones in the Monumental Lawn Beam Section must conform to the standards, size and quality approved by PICT. Unless otherwise approved in writing by PICT:

  • Headstones must not exceed 800mm in height from natural ground level; the depth of the headstone must not exceed 250mm; the width of the headstone must not exceed 1140mm; and each plot in this section is 2400mm long and 1200mm wide.
  1. Monumental Grave Section

Headstones in the Monumental Grave Section must not exceed 1500mm in height from natural ground level, unless otherwise approved in writing by PICT. All Monumental Graves are generally 2400mm long and 1200mm wide.

Each monumental grave must include grave kerbing and a ledger, being a horizontal slab made of stone, concrete or other material approved by PICT. PICT may, at its discretion, vary this requirement in particular areas of the cemetery, including older or historic monumental sections, where it considers that a different form of memorial is more appropriate having regard to the character of the section, surrounding memorials, cemetery maintenance, safety, access or the orderly appearance of the cemetery. Any approved variation applies only to the specific grave or memorial application for which it is granted and must be strictly complied with by the Holder.

The specifications for all headstones, kerbing, ledgers and associated monumental works must be approved in writing by PICT before any work commences. Unless otherwise approved by PICT, the supply and installation of monuments must only be carried out by qualified memorialists or monumental masons who are registered with, or approved by, PICT.  All work must be undertaken in accordance with applicable cemetery standards, including the CCAV Guidelines for Victorian Cemeteries, where relevant. The Holder agrees that the headstone, kerbing and ledger must be installed within 12 months from the date of interment, unless an extension is approved in writing by PICT.

  1. Lawn Beam Sections

Memorials in the Lawn Beam Sections consist only of bronze plaques generally measuring 381mm x 279mm approved by PICT. The plaque cost is the responsibility of the Holder.

No additional structures, ornaments, edging, plantings or other items may be placed in these sections unless expressly approved by PICT.

  1. Lawn Beam Garden L

Garden plots in the Lawn Beam Garden L include a black granite desk memorial.

A bronze plaque measuring 250mm x 250mm may be affixed to the granite desk memorial, subject to PICT approval. The cost of any plaque, inscription, installation or associated work is the responsibility of the Holder.

  1. Lone Pine, Mulberry, RSL, Granite and Tiles Courtyard Gardens

Memorials in the Lone Pine, Mulberry, Tiled Courtyard, Granite and RSL Gardens must consist of a bronze plaque, approved by PICT, and affixed to the granite base supplied. The plaque cost is the responsibility of the Holder.

Unless otherwise approved by PICT, plaque sizes are as follows:

  • Mulberry, Lone Pine, RSL and Granite Gardens: 381mm x 279mm.
  • Tiled Courtyard Garden: 135mm x 100mm.
  1. Niche Wall

Memorials in the Niche Wall consist of a bronze plaque measuring 145mm x 127mm, affixed to the Niche Wall and must be approved by PICT.

 

 

  1. Wetlands

Memorials affixed on the Wetlands Rocks consist of a bronze plaque measuring 100mm x 50mm and must be approved by PICT.

  1. Bronze Plaques

All bronze plaques must be produced by accredited or suitably qualified fabricators and must be approved by PICT before installation. Bronze plaques may be ordered through PICT.

The cost of plaques, inscriptions, artwork, installation and any associated work is the responsibility of the Holder, unless otherwise agreed in writing by PICT.

  1. Wooden Structures

No wooden structure of any kind may be constructed, installed or placed within the cemetery grounds without the prior written approval of PICT. This includes, but is not limited to, wooden crosses, fences, boxes, ornaments, stakes, surrounds or other timber items.

  1. Payment for Reservation of a Right of Interment and Expiry

A reservation of a plot, niche or memorial position is not confirmed or final until all monies payable for that reservation have been paid in full and accepted by PICT.

Once confirmed, a reservation secures the Right of Interment for that reserved plot, niche or memorial position for the applicable reservation period.

A reservation does not, of itself, permit an interment to take place. At the time of need, the person arranging the interment must contact PICT, complete any required documentation and pay the applicable interment fees and any other cemetery fees before the interment can proceed.

A reservation will be recognised by PICT for a period of 25 years from the date it was granted, unless it is extended or renewed in accordance with PICT requirements.

If the reservation is not exercised, extended or renewed within the applicable reservation period, the reservation will expire and PICT may treat the plot, niche or memorial position as available for future use.

The cost of memorials, including headstones, plaques, plates, inscriptions, monumental works and installation, is additional to the reservation, Right of Interment and any interment or cemetery fees, unless otherwise agreed in writing by PICT.

  1. Authorisation

Applications for interment, memorial work or any other arrangements relating to a grave, plot, niche or memorial position may only be made with the authority of the Holder.

PICT may require the applicant to provide:

  • a copy of the Reservation Certificate of Right of Interment or other document identifying the Holder;
  • written authority from the Holder where the applicant is not the Holder; and/or
  • any other documentation PICT considers necessary to confirm authority.

PICT may decline to proceed with any application until it is satisfied that the person making the application has the necessary authority.

  1. Non-Approved Items

To maintain the cemetery to an appropriate standard and to reduce the risk of injury, damage or deterioration, PICT does not permit non-approved items to be placed on graves, plaques, memorials, gardens, niches or cemetery grounds.

Non-approved items include, but are not limited to:

  • Ornaments; jars or containers; objects, breakable or otherwise; tins or metal containers; wooden structures; unauthorised edging, fencing or surrounds; artificial structures or fixtures not approved by PICT; items that may interfere with mowing, maintenance or access; and any item considered by PICT to be unsafe, inappropriate, deteriorated or inconsistent with cemetery standards.

Non-approved items may be removed and disposed of by PICT without prior notice.

 

 

  1. Memorials and Monuments

PICT may remove any item placed on or near a grave, crypt, niche, plaque, memorial or monument if, in the opinion of PICT, the item contravenes these Terms and Conditions, cemetery policies, relevant legislation or accepted cemetery standards. PICT reserves the right to consider requests for variations to memorial requirements. However, PICT may refuse any application or proposed design that it considers unsuitable, unsafe, inappropriate, inconsistent with the character of the cemetery, or contrary to cemetery requirements.

All memorials and monuments remain subject to PICT approval, regardless of any prior discussion, correspondence, brochure, plan, drawing or indicative information.

  1. Cemetery Specifications and Future Changes

Any statement made by PICT concerning specifications, requirements, restrictions, dimensions, heights, cemetery areas, grave sites, memorials, plaques, headstones, monuments, vaults, cemetery infrastructure, roads, gardens, facilities or future cemetery development is indicative only unless formally approved in writing by PICT.

PICT may vary specifications, requirements, restrictions, dimensions, heights, permitted materials, design standards, layouts, cemetery infrastructure and future plans at any time, at its discretion and in accordance with relevant legislation and cemetery requirements.

  1. Interpretation

In these Terms and Conditions, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

  • words in the singular include the plural; words in the plural include the singular; references to the Holder include their lawful successor or authorised representative where applicable; references to PICT mean the Phillip Island Cemetery Trust; and headings are included for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.
  1. General

The Holder acknowledges that cemeteries are places of remembrance, heritage, public access and ongoing maintenance. These Terms and Conditions are intended to ensure that the cemetery is maintained in a safe, respectful, consistent and sustainable manner for all families, visitors and future generations.

July 2026