Burial and ashes plots can be purchased directly from the Christchurch City Council or through your funeral director.
All interments in Christchurch City Council cemeteries are for perpetuity and cemetery maintenance and upkeep is provided by the Council. All ashes interments must be arranged through the Cemeteries Administrator to ensure details are recorded. This helps with future genealogical searches.
Burial and ashes plots
Burial and ashes plots can be pre-purchased in most cemeteries. Burial plots can take up to two casket burials and up to four ashes interments. Depending on the cemetery chosen, an ashes plot can take up to either two or four people’s ashes.
Only one headstone or memorial plaque is allowed per plot limiting the number of people usually interred in each plot. Plots can be allocated to a purchaser or customers can self-select a plot from map information issued to them. For some cemeteries where the block numbering is not clear, we suggest a customer meet with the sexton of the cemetery to assist with the plot selection.
When a burial right is purchased, the land remains in the Council's ownership and they maintain it. All interments in Christchurch City Council cemeteries are in perpetuity. For plot purchase enquiries please call the Cemeteries Support team on 03 9418646 or email enquiries to cemeteries@ccc.govt.nz.
Christchurch City
Plots can be pre-purchased in the following Christchurch City cemeteries:
- Avonhead Memorial: Full burial and ash plots
- Belfast: Full burial and ash plots
- Linwood: Ash plots
- Memorial Park: Full burial and ash plots
- Ruru Lawn: Full burial and ash plots
- Sydenham: Ash plots
- Yaldhurst: Full burial, Green burial and ash plots
Banks Peninsula
Plots can be pre-purchased in the following Banks Peninsula cemeteries:
- Duvauchelle: Full burial and ash plots
- Kaituna: Full burial and ash plots
- Le Bons Bay: Full burial plots
- Little River: Full burial and ash plots
- Pigeon Bay: Full burial plots
- Wainui: Full burial and ash plots
Certificate of Right of Burial
The purchaser will receive a Certificate of Right of Burial, forwarded to the family or Funeral Director when the plot is paid for in full.
Wreaths and other tributes
Wreaths, food items, and other floral tributes or ornaments not permanently fixed to the monument may be placed on the plot for a period of ten days following the interment. After ten days items must be removed or relocated to the concrete beam or area around the headstone.
Family members may remove from any grave items placed there, such as a wreath, plants or flowers. The Council may remove any neglected or broken items.
If there is a concrete kerb around the grave the inner area may contain tributes providing they do not cause hazards, safety or maintenance issues or are considered offensive to visitors or families of neighbouring graves.
No Ceremonial fires are permitted.
Temporary markers
White crosses or temporary markers are permitted in most cemetery areas for one year. If the interment is in a lawn area of a cemetery the marker must be removed within one week to allow for maintenance.
A temporary marker must be removed once a permanent monument is erected.
If the Sexton considers that a temporary marker has fallen into a state of disrepair the Sexton may remove it.
Maintenance of plots and graves
Lawn areas
The Council maintains plots and graves in lawn areas including mowing. Any plants (including trees and shrubs) planted on a grave following an interment will be removed after ten days and the area sown with grass seed. The grave will be maintained as lawn. The removal of any plants (including trees and shrubs) also applies to a Green Burial that has occurred in the lawn area of a cemetery.
Areas with concrete kerbing
No new plants are to be planted on graves. Existing plants (under 1000mm height at maturity) may remain providing family or friends maintain them. If any plants are not being maintained the council will remove them.
Any plant identified in the Christchurch City Council Operational Pest Plan, and found growing on a plot or grave, will be removed.
Green burial site
In a designated Council green burial site all planting on graves will be undertaken and maintained by the Council.