Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is a community based, not-for-profit organisation c

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust ( SMCT) is a public entity reporting to the Minister for Health, purposed with providing cemetery, cremation and related support services to the community on the government’s behalf.

Easter Long Weekend Operating HoursAs we approach the Easter weekend, please be advised of the holiday operating hours a...
31/03/2026

Easter Long Weekend Operating Hours
As we approach the Easter weekend, please be advised of the holiday operating hours across our locations and support teams.

Please note that our cemetery and memorial park grounds will remain fully open to the public every day, allowing you to visit your loved ones over the long weekend.

Springvale Botanical Cemetery (On-site Reception)
• Good Friday: Closed
• Easter Saturday: 9 am - 1 pm
• Easter Sunday: 9 am - 5 pm
• Easter Monday: Closed

Bunurong Memorial Park (On-site Reception)
• Closed from Good Friday through to Easter Monday.

If you require assistance while our on-site receptions are closed, our central teams are available by phone during the following hours:

Contact Centre (Phone Support)
• Good Friday: Closed
• Easter Saturday: 9 am - 1 pm
• Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: Closed

Bookings Team
• Good Friday: Closed
• Easter Saturday to Easter Monday: 9 am - 4 pm daily

We wish our community a safe, restful, and peaceful Easter weekend. For site maps or further information, please visit our website: https://smct.org.au

Picnics at CemeteriesLast week, our CEO, Ingrid, joined Triple J’s Hack program to discuss why spending time in cemeteri...
30/03/2026

Picnics at Cemeteries

Last week, our CEO, Ingrid, joined Triple J’s Hack program to discuss why spending time in cemeteries is not a new concept—and why it is something we should actively embrace today.

While the idea of rolling out a picnic rug or reading a book in a cemetery might feel a little unconventional to some, our sites were purposefully designed as beautiful, peaceful spaces for the living to gather, reflect, and connect.

You can listen to Ingrid's full interview via the link below (skip to the 25-minute mark to hear her segment):

https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/trump-iran-fuel-cost-gamling-report/106471130

Qingming and Easter 2026: Visitor Update for Springvale Botanical Cemetery and Bunurong Memorial ParkQingming is an impo...
23/03/2026

Qingming and Easter 2026: Visitor Update for Springvale Botanical Cemetery and Bunurong Memorial Park

Qingming is an important time for many Asian communities and families to come together and honour loved ones.

This year, Qing Ming falls on Sunday, 5 April 2026, which coincides with Easter Sunday. Because of this, we are expecting significantly higher visitor numbers than usual at both Springvale Botanical Cemetery and Bunurong Memorial Park over the weekends of 28–29 March and 4–5 April.

To help make your visit as smooth as possible, please plan ahead and be aware of the following updates.

What to expect at both locations:

- Busy roads and car parks
- Follow clear traffic signs on-site
- Families bringing their own cleaning tools, water, and burning bins for traditional activities
- Avoid open flames on dirt, grass or concrete floors. Cooled ashes must go in SMCT ash bins
- Food offerings placed and removed within weeks to help keep the grounds clean and protect wildlife

Specific updates for Springvale Botanical Cemetery:

- Please follow all clear traffic management signs on-site to assist with the flow of vehicles.
- Expect longer wait times for page-turning services at the Garden of No Distant Place, especially on Saturdays between 9 am and 1 pm.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this special time for our families.

For site maps, further updates, or to order floral tributes ahead of your visit, please see our website: https://www.smct.org.au/about-us/events/qing-ming

Join us for a guided tour organised by Friends of St Kilda Cemetery: Ancient Mariners: Captains, Pilots and Steamship ow...
17/03/2026

Join us for a guided tour organised by Friends of St Kilda Cemetery: Ancient Mariners: Captains, Pilots and Steamship owners

Come and listen to the fascinating stories of the lives of Captains Harry Goodrham, James Cain, Robert Fullerton, and John Foster Neilson; Samuel Bourne Skinner, Henry Aspley Pellett, William Howard Smith, William Charles Gallois, and John Laidlaw Scott.

St Kilda Cemetery, Sunday 29 March
Meet at the Dandenong Road pavilion.
1:45pm for a 2:00pm start.
Members $5; Non-members $10

Bookings and enquiries: Geoff on 0448 740 195 or email foskcorg@gmail.com

To hear their name is to hold them close.There is a profound power in speaking the names of the babies and children we c...
14/03/2026

To hear their name is to hold them close.

There is a profound power in speaking the names of the babies and children we carry in our hearts. It is a simple act, but one that ensures they are recognized, honoured, and remembered.

We are privileged to once again support our friends at Red Nose for the third annual Melbourne Say Their Name Day Remembrance Service.

This year, we invite families to bring a photo or a special memento of their baby or child to place on our remembrance table.

Our Community Care & Wellbeing team has been working closely with Red Nose to ensure this service provides a warm, gentle space for connection and reflection.

We look forward to gathering with you to speak their names and hold space for one another.

Event Details:
Saturday 28th of March 2026
10:30am - 12:30pm
Stratus reflection space
Bunurong Memorial Park


Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries invite you to step back into the 1920s and uncover the haunting stories b...
14/03/2026

Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries invite you to step back into the 1920s and uncover the haunting stories behind Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery’s quiet graves. Join our tour to hear moving, forgotten tales—from a tragic family house fire to a fatal childhood mishap and a rail disaster that shook the community. Discover the tragic, yet fascinating lives that shaped our local history.

Event details:
Location: Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery, Sunday 22 March. Meet just inside the gate at 1.30pm
Cost: Members: $12* – Non members: $15*
Refreshments provided
Bookings required: Email info@focrc.org or call 9497 1318

* Please note that this tour is organised by the Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries, not by SMCT.

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Questions about memorial options? We're here to listen. Book a no-obligation appointment with our Family Services team. ...
12/03/2026

Questions about memorial options? We're here to listen. Book a no-obligation appointment with our Family Services team. We can show you the grounds and help you understand what's possible. Book a time that suits you: https://www.smct.org.au/contact

Hand on heart, they came with hope.This St Patrick’s Day, look beyond the parades and discover the real stories of the I...
10/03/2026

Hand on heart, they came with hope.
This St Patrick’s Day, look beyond the parades and discover the real stories of the Irish immigrants who helped build our community.

Join us on Sunday, 15 March for a special guided walk at Brighton General Cemetery. We will explore the triumphs and tragedies of those who arrived with willingness, resilience, and perhaps a bit of blarney.

We will visit the memorials of local figures including:

• Mary Malahan, who remarkably emigrated in her 70s to follow her sons to East Bentleigh—a testament to the strength of family bonds.

• Michael Quirk, Mary Brady, and Robert & Harriet Arnold, among others who made this area their home.

Discover the history written in stone right on your doorstep.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, 15 March
Time: 2:00 pm
Meeting Point: Near the front gate, Brighton General Cemetery
Cost: $15 per person
Bookings are essential.
Please call Lois on 9558 4248 to secure your place.

This International Women's Day, we want to share some stories from the archives about this years theme, "Balance the Sca...
07/03/2026

This International Women's Day, we want to share some stories from the archives about this years theme, "Balance the Scales".

Across our grounds rest trailblazers who led when the odds were stacked against them, and deliberately shifted the scales for the generations of women who followed.

We honour the legacy of leaders like:

Julia Bella Guerin (Melbourne General Cemetery)In 1883, Bella made history as the first woman to graduate from a university in Australia. She did not stop at her own success; she spent her life tirelessly campaigning for women’s suffrage, equal pay, and the right for women to participate fully in public life.

Dr Constance Stone (St Kilda Cemetery)Forced to leave Australia to study medicine because local universities would not accept women, Constance returned to become the first woman to register as a medical practitioner in the country. She went on to help found the Queen Victoria Hospital, an institution run entirely by women, for women.

Janet Lady Clarke (Melbourne General Cemetery)A visionary philanthropist who saw that intelligence was not limited by geography or gender. She funded the first hostel for female university students in Melbourne, ensuring that women from regional areas finally had the safe accommodation they needed to access higher education.

As we reflect on change, and balancing the scales, we honour their impact and legacy.

Who is a woman in your family or community who has helped balance the scales? We invite you to share her story and speak her name in the comments below.

06/03/2026

Learn more about Wonthaggi Cemetery with our Communications Officer Cam Halliday.

💚 Today we’re celebrating World Wildlife Day the wonderful critters and plants found across our beautiful sites. 🌺🐸🦜Than...
03/03/2026

💚 Today we’re celebrating World Wildlife Day the wonderful critters and plants found across our beautiful sites. 🌺🐸🦜
Thank you to our team members and community who help us care for these natural treasures through thoughtful horticulture, planting days, and keeping our sites clear of litter. These habits sustain habitats, and we’re all the richer for it. ♻️🌱💚
➡️ If you’d like to know more about biodiversity and sustainability at SMCT, visit https://smct.org.au/sustainability

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600 Princes Highway
Springvale, VIC
3171

Telephone

+61385588278

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Our Story

The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is a community based, not-for-profit organisation, committed to serving the needs of our communities. Over and above the funeral services we provide, we are committed to guiding families through the most important, long term decisions they will need to make when someone dies.

Our Vision

Our beautiful, iconic locations empower all communities to honour and celebrate life.

We support the living throughout their grief journey, through our innovative approach of personalised care and compassion.