Grave Concerns Queensland Cemeteries Research Paper
Local Government Association queensland (lgaq)
Queensland is facing increasing pressure on cemetery land supply and end-of-life infrastructure as the State’s population grows, ages and becomes more diverse. End-of-life infrastructure – including cemeteries, crematoria, mausoleums and memorial spaces – is universal, essential and permanent, yet in some local government areas cemetery land supply is expected to be exceeded within the next 10 to 15 years.
Across Queensland, local government plays a central role in the planning, provision and operation of cemetery facilities. However, there is currently no dedicated legislation to guide this critical responsibility.
In response, the Local Government Association of Queensland engaged CRED Consulting to prepare Grave Concerns: Queensland Cemeteries Research Paper – a state-wide research project exploring the challenges, risks and opportunities associated with the planning, design, operation and long-term maintenance of end-of-life infrastructure.
Drawing on evidence-based research and engagement with Queensland councils and industry experts from across Australia, the project positions cemeteries as critical community infrastructure that requires long-term strategic planning, coordinated investment and a more consistent policy and legislative framework.
The research provides a foundation for a state-wide conversation about how Queensland plans for burial and memorialisation into the future – balancing land supply constraints, financial sustainability, cultural diversity and sensitivities, environmental responsibility and community expectations
HOW WE DID IT​
CRED Consulting designed and delivered a comprehensive research and engagement program to inform the paper and support sector-wide learning.
We delivered:
- Desktop research and policy analysis, including legislative review and assessment of national and international best practice.
- Population, demographic and trend analysis to understand future demand for end-of-life infrastructure across Queensland.
- Comparative benchmarking across Queensland, other Australian states and international contexts.
- Targeted engagement with local governments, including interviews with representatives from metropolitan, regional, rural, remote and First Nations councils.
- Interviews with industry experts and cemetery, crematoria and end-of-life infrastructure practitioners from across Australia.
- Intrastate, interstate and international case studies showcasing innovative approaches to cemetery planning, management, sustainability and community use.
- Synthesis of findings into a clear, accessible research paper identifying key challenges, opportunities and areas for reform.
OUTCOMES
The Grave Concerns Queensland Cemetries Research Paper provides Queensland’s local government sector with its first consolidated, evidence-based assessment of end-of-life infrastructure planning and delivery. It calls for the State Government to work in partnership with councils to adopt a more coordinated strategic and forward-looking approach to planning for cemeteries and end-of-life infrastructure across Queensland.
The research was presented to councils at the 2025 Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Annual Conference and is already shaping sector-wide conversations. It attracted strong interest across the state and was featured in media including the Courier Mail and Inside Local Government.
The research:
- Establishes cemeteries as essential, long-term community infrastructure, comparable to housing, transport and open space
- Highlights the risks of inaction, including land shortages, financial exposure and inequitable access
- Identifies practical opportunities for reform, including legislative change, regional approaches, state-wide communications, alternative management models and more sustainable design
- Shows how cemeteries can be re-framed as activated, nurturing community spaces that deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits.
- Creates a shared evidence base to support advocacy, strategic planning and future policy development.
Image credit: CRED Consulting