21/08/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/19W6SWA2U5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
"Can I arrange a natural burial?" 🌿
One of the great questions we were asked at this year's Dying to Know Day — and the short answer is: YES.
In NSW, a natural burial means the body is:
âś… Not embalmed (no chemical preservatives)
✅ Placed only in a shroud or a fully biodegradable coffin. please note ⚠️A shrouded burial without a coffin requires the appropriate NSW Health approval.
âś… Returned to earth as directly as possible
NSW Government says natural burial practices can also be done in conventional cemeteries, but whether a particular cemetery will permit the arrangements depends on the operator.
All our local lawn and general cemeteries accommodate an unembalmed, biodegradable-coffin burial — so a natural approach is often more accessible than people expect, even outside a dedicated bushland burial ground. It always depends on the individual cemetery's policies, so we check this with families as part of arranging the funeral.
In the Shoalhaven
For natural burials, the funerary service provider nominated by the applicant must certify that:
The body to be buried has not been partially or fully embalmed
pacemakers and other electronic implants are not present in the body
The body of the deceased is dressed only in fully biodegradable materials such as cotton
And that the coffin in which the body will be contained:
Is constructed with rapid biodegradability in mind
Is constructed from a renewable or recycled resource such as wicker, reeds, bamboo, plantation softwood, recycled paper, recycled cardboard or recycled softwood
Uses only materials that are known to be rapidly biodegradable
has handles made from h**p rope or another similar biodegradable product
Uses metal fixings to join the coffin only where essential for structural purposes
Must not use non-biodegradable liners
Contains only the body of the deceased
Please see link for Shoalhaven City Council website https://www.shoalhavenbereavement.com.au/Cemeteries/About-burials/Natural-burial-sites
If a gentler, more natural farewell is important to you or your family, we're happy to talk through what's possible on the South Coast. đź’¬
Have a question about funeral options? Drop it below or come chat with our team.
