Dandenong Community Cemetery

With hot conditions and higher temperatures forecast over the next few days, we encourage visitors to plan ahead and take care while visiting our cemeteries.

✅ Plan your visit: Come early or postpone to avoid the hottest part of the day.
💧 Stay safe: Drink plenty of water, take breaks in the shade, and wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
🤝 Be prepared: Look out for yourself and others in the extreme heat.

With hot conditions continuing across the state and higher temperatures forecast tomorrow, we encourage visitors to plan ahead and take care while visiting our cemeteries.

✅ Plan your visit: Come early or postpone to avoid the hottest part of the day.
💧 Stay safe: Drink plenty of water, take breaks in the shade, and wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
🤝 Be prepared: Look out for yourself and others in the extreme heat.

As the sun sets on 2025, we reflect on the memories we hold dear and the legacies we honour.

Thank you for allowing us to care for your loved ones this year. We look forward to serving you in 2026.

To our community, today, we light a candle for those who are present in our hearts, even if they are absent from our tables.

However you are spending today, we wish you peace, comfort, and safe travels.
– The team at Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.

We’re taking a short festive break🎄 Responses may take a little longer than usual, but we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. For anything urgent, please call 1300 466 904 or submit a contact form: www.smct.org.au/contact-us.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!

The loss of a family member or loved one can be a difficult and painful experience. The initial shock and grief are often compounded by the need to make time-sensitive decisions and practical arrangements.

Our 10 Steps guide is based on the most frequently asked questions by families when planning a burial, funeral or memorial service. Contact us for further information about the considerations, options, and support services available to help you honour your loved one in the most special and meaningful way for your family.

Read the guide here:

10 Steps to Planning a Funeral in Melbourne Download this practical guide for families planning a funeral or memorial service for a loved one. It contains useful information and links.

🌼 Graveside flower delivery now available at more locations 🌼

We are excited to announce that our graveside flower delivery service is now available at all SMCT metropolitan cemeteries. This service allows you to honour and remember your loved ones with beautiful floral arrangements, delivered directly to their resting place.

Whether it's for Mother's Day, a special occasion or just to show you care, our team is here to help you express your sentiments with grace and beauty.

For Mother's Day graveside delivery, please place your order by Wednesday, May 7th.

📞 Call or place your order online today
https://www.smct.org.au/flowers

Wishing our community a safe and peaceful Christmas and holiday season filled with connection and warmth. Today, we think of those we love, both here with us and in our hearts. From our family to yours, happy holidays!

If you are in need of support during this period please visit our resources page: https://smct.org.au/grief-resources

Caring for ourselves and our mental health is always important, especially as we approach the holiday season and the end of the year. There are many ways to maintain your mental health, including physical activity, mindfulness, and celebrating the little wins.

To find out more read this article on our website or look through the conversations tab for more suggestions, tips, resources, and stories from around our sites.

https://smct.org.au/blog/caring-for-your-mental-health-all-year-round

If you have ever visited a loved one at a cemetery and noticed that their grave appears to have ‘sunk’, you may have been taken by surprise.
In the article below, we shed some light on the little-known process of grave subsidence, or grave sinking – and the steps our teams take at burial to reduce its effects.

Laying a loved one to rest is one of the most difficult experiences we may go through in a lifetime.
Once the burial has taken place, the journey is far from complete. Returning to your loved one’s grave site to reflect can be an important part of how you choose to honour them throughout your life. You might expect the grave site to look the same each time – and it can be distressing to discover that this is not necessarily the case.

You are not alone – grave sinking is not widely known about in the community. However, you can take comfort in the fact that our team is here to help.

Read the full article here: https://smct.org.au/blog/what-is-grave-sinking

The last Sunday in August is Bereaved Father's Day, a day to come together, pause for a moment, reflect and remember.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the fathers and father figures around us who are grieving or have experienced the profound loss of a child. No matter what, you'll always be dad. ♥

The lead-up to Father's Day can be a difficult time. If you are struggling, Grief Australia has resources that can help 👉 https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Content/Information-Sheets/Grief_Anniversaries_and_Significant_Events.aspx

Are you planning to visit our grounds this weekend?

Over the last few days, our grounds have been struggling to drain as quickly as they normally would, due to the continuous rain volume and the heavy-clay nature of the soil across our sites.

While our teams are doing everything they can to keep our grounds safe and looking their best, these conditions present a number of challenges for us and our community including wet, slippery paths, and muddy, waterlogged lawns and some areas becoming temporarily inaccessible.

Read about how to visit us safely during the rainy season here https://smct.org.au/blog/visiting-our-sites-during-extreme-wet-weather