The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust will apply to the state government to increase the prices of some burials at its new Keilor cemetery to more than $12,000 each.
The trust, which operates 18 cemeteries across the north, east and west of Melbourne, began building a new $17.4 million, 3.7 hectare wing at Keilor, with room for 5000 new graves, in April.
The extension, on vacant land north of Ely Court, is the trust’s first greenfield development, and is designed to meet an increasing demand for burials at Keilor.
The existing Keilor cemetery reached capacity in December. No new graves sites are for sale, meaning the only way to be buried in the historic 1856-built cemetery is if a pre-purchased gravesite is relinquished.
If a site does become available at the old cemetery, it costs $5640.
The trust has proposed three prices for the new cemetery, which is due to be completed next year.
Monumental graves (usually built in granite or marble and covering the whole grave) are expected to cost $12,250, lawn graves with a headstone $9075, and lawn graves with a plaque $7635.
The least expensive grave available for pre-purchase at Melbourne General Cemetery in Carlton costs more than $14,000.
Kathryn Malic, whose father and relatives are buried at Keilor, has described the proposed price hikes as exorbitant and not reflective of the area’s demographic.
“Keilor is not an extremely wealthy community,” the Taylors Lakes resident said. “I’m sure there are pockets of residents who could afford the new proposed pricing and mausoleum fees, but the majority will not be best served with their estate planning being hijacked by excessive burial fees.”
Bart Clingin, the trust’s acting chief executive, said the proposed fees do not relate to the existing cemetery.
“The proposed fee changes are designed on a cost-recovery basis in order to meet construction costs for the extension,” Mr Clingin said. “The extension includes significant ground and grave preparation to support monumental graves, and the construction costs are factored into the price.”
A formal application to change fees has not yet been submitted to the health and human services department. Any change must be published in the government gazette.
The trust welcomes community feedback on its proposed fees.
