Find out more about casket, ash and natural burial options, as well as veteran and Returned Service Association cemeteries.
Hours and fees
Burials usually take place during the following hours and burials outside of these hours are at Council’s discretion, and may incur additional fees:
- Monday to Friday 8am-2pm
- Saturday 8am-12pm (including public holiday weekends)
- Burials are not conducted on Christmas Day or Good Friday.
We require 48 business hours notice for burials by way of a completed application.
Burial fees start at are listed in Council’s fees and charges: Waipā Cemeteries - Fees and Charges
Casket burials
Purchasing or reserving a cemetery plot
You can reserve up to two plots at a time for a maximum of 60 years, giving you exclusive right of burial in those plots, but not ownership. Ownership rights can be transferred with the council’s consent.
Lawn plots can hold two caskets and up to four ash interments. The exceptions are Leamington and Pukerimu which can only hold one casket due to ground conditions.
Arranging a burial
Once a plot is chosen, a burial warrant needs to be completed by a funeral director or the family with information like funeral director details, time of burial, size of casket, details of the deceased and the plot location.
Graves can only be dug by Council’s sexton. If you wish to be present when the grave is being dug, make sure you let us know ahead of time. Family members are welcome to backfill the grave following a burial with the supervision of the sexton.
Ash burials
Ashes can be buried in three ways:
- In front of a memorial ashes berm, a concrete strip suitable for plaques or small headstones.
- In a lawn plot, in the same was as casket burials.
- In gardens of remembrance designated for the burial of ashes. Ashes are buried outside of the garden area and each plot can accommodate two sets of ashes.
All planting at the cemeteries and plot maintenance is council’s responsibility. We are sorry, but family members aren’t permitted to plant trees, shrubs or flowers in any of our cemeteries.