Who are we
CCNSW is a NSW Government agency that:
- supports and regulates the interment industry (cemeteries and crematoria) in NSW
- provides information on burial and cremation options to the public.
What we do
We make sure cemeteries are respectfully managed, and licence them through the Interment Industry Scheme. This aims to benefit Aboriginal communities by:
- Requiring cemetery operators to take reasonable steps to comply with Aboriginal cultural and spiritual principles, which include:
- informing themselves of local Aboriginal communities and common requirements
- asking each individual if they have any Aboriginal cultural or spiritual requirements, and meeting those requirements where they possibly can (at a transparent cost).
- For those operators who commonly provide Aboriginal burials or cremations, a requirement to engage with the relevant Aboriginal communities to understand their specific needs and work in good faith towards meeting them.
- more clearly and transparently explaining the costs of burial, ash interment and cremation, including all fees and charges
- emphasising the importance of proper, and culturally safe, customer service and treating people with respect.
We provide targeted information for mob, including:
- the types of burials available, including options without conventional coffins or caskets
- knowing where to go if you are unhappy with the cemetery or crematorium operator
- understanding how to set up an Aboriginal cemetery.
We provide information for cemetery operators:
- guidelines for cemeteries and crematoria on Aboriginal cultural and spiritual requirements.
What about funeral directors and funeral insurance?
CCNSW only regulates cemeteries and crematoria. We don’t regulate funeral directors or funeral insurance. If funeral directors are selling cemetery products (burials or ash interments) or cremations, they need to comply with some of the cemetery licence conditions such as using a consumer contract and transparently explaining prices. Funeral directors are regulated by NSW Fair Trading and NSW Health. Funeral insurance funds are regulated by Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Resources for Aboriginal peoples
Aboriginal engagement
Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW (CCNSW) engages with Aboriginal people to understand what resources would be useful for them, and, as a result, has published a range of relevant resources – see the list below.
We engaged with several NSW communities to develop guidelines on the most common Aboriginal cultural and spiritual requirements for burial and cremation, to support operators to better understand the needs of Aboriginal peoples.
Information for mob
| Document name |
|---|
| Aboriginal cultural and spiritual principles (PDF, 161.8 KB) |
| () |
| Burial without a conventional coffin (PDF, 122.58 KB) |
| Guidelines on how to establish a cemetery (PDF, 200.81 KB) |
| Making a complaint or enquiry to Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW (CCNSW) (PDF, 143.47 KB) |
| Pricing and what to expect (PDF, 204.31 KB) |
| What is the difference between a funeral director and a cemetery or crematoria operator (PDF, 145.61 KB) |
| Facility Name | Operator Name | Cemetery Address |
| Balranald Aboriginal Cemetery | Balranald Local Aboriginal Land Council | Island Road, Balranald |
| Burra Bee Dee | Coonabarabran Local Aboriginal Land Council | Oxley Highway, Coonabarabran |
| Collarenebri Aboriginal Cemetery | Collarenebri Local Aboriginal Land Council | Gundabloui Road, Collarenebri |
| Cummeragunja Cemetery | Cummeragunja Local Aboriginal Land Council | George St, Moama |
| Fingal Cemetery | Tweed Shire Council | Letitia Road, Fingal Head |
| Bermagui Cemetery | Bega Valley Shire Council | Bleakley Street, Bermagui |
| Murrin Bridge Cemetery | Murrin Bridge Local Aboriginal Land Council | 1499 Lachlan Valley Way, Murrin Bridge |
| Mutawintji Thunka | Mutawintji Board of Management | Mutawintji National Park, Mutawintji Access Rd, Mutawintji |
| Old Goodooga Cemetery | Brewarrina Shire Council | Goodooga Road, Goodooga |
| Tubba-Gah Aboriginal Burial Ground | Dubbo City Council | Burraway Road, Dubbo |
| Walhallow Cemetery also known as Caroona Cemetery | Walhallow Local Aboriginal Lands Council | 69 Walhallow Road, Caroona |
| Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Cemetery | Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council | Cemetery Point Road, Akolele |
| Wanaaring Aboriginal Burial Ground | Bourke Shire Council | Bourke-Milparinka Road, Wanaaring |
| Warangesda Aboriginal Mission Gravesite | Warangesda Shire Council | Sturt Highway, Darlington Point |
To find other cemeteries, visit our cemetery register.
Other relevant resources
- Social and Emotional Wellbeing
- This material has been created by Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC), please visit their website for more resources www.ahmrc.org.au.
- Wills for Aboriginal people - NSW Trustee & Guardian
- National Guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities to Identify and Protect Unmarked Grave and Cemeteries
- The guide aims to provide clear and practical advice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia to identify and protect the unmarked graves and burial sites of their ancestors. It was developed by Virtus Heritage in collaboration with the Tweed-Byron LALC and the Mapoon Aboriginal community and funded by the Australian Government.
- Supply Nation
- This organisation allows you to search for verified Indigenous business and may assist if you are looking for interment based services.
- Way to Go report (PDF, 1.9 MB)
- This document gives information on people's views on burials, cremation, funerals and ways to commemorate life.