How to Use the Deceased Search Tool
An introduction to Deceased Search
Looking to find a grave in Melbourne or across Victoria? SMCT’s Deceased Search tool helps you locate burial records in our cemeteries including Bunurong Memorial Park, Springvale Botanical Cemetery and St Kilda Cemetery. Whether you're researching family history, planning a memorial visit, or simply seeking information, this guide will help you use our search tool effectively.
How to use the Deceased Search tool
1. Visit the search page
Go to smct.org.au/deceased-search to begin.
2. Select a cemetery
Choose from our list of cemeteries to narrow your search.
3. Enter Details
You can search by:
Service type (buried, cremated, memorial)
Full name or partial name
And use advanced filters to also search by:
Grave location or reference number (if known)
Date of funeral service
Date of birth or death
Tick the box for "I have read and accepted the Terms & conditions" and then click the search button.
4. View Results
Matching records will appear in a list showing details of name, cemetery, service provided and date of service.
Click on a search result to view the individual record and may provide further information such as grave location, reference number, religion or cultural preference and any additional information.
A message will advise you if there are no records that match your search criteria. Please note that when searching by reference number, only one record will show in the results table as each deceased individual has their own unique reference number.
If you're having trouble locating a loved one’s resting place, please contact us for assistance.
Important Information - Please note
Due to the Privacy Act, we are prohibited from disclosing the names of the authorised owner/s or next of kin of a deceased person.
Early records are not as comprehensive as more current ones and in most instances do not provide more detailed information.
The Deceased Search Facility does not provide information on headstone or plaque inscriptions.
Neither the Deceased Search Facility nor records held have information on maiden names, names of parents, names of siblings, newspaper announcements, or immigration.
If you require more extensive information, e.g. headstone/plaque inscriptions, photographs, listings of names etc., a fee may apply.
Deceased Search Disclaimer
Tenure Expiry Date
If the tenure of a memorial you have selected has expired, a message will be displayed to contact Administration. Please contact our End of Tenure team for more information on (03) 8558 8299 during normal business hours.
Recent Losses
Commemorative plaques and monuments can often take a number of months to complete. Therefore, a permanent memorial location may appear on the facility before the memorial is established.
Temporary Memorials at the Walls of Reflection
Springvale Botanical Cemetery provides a free temporary memorial for up to three months for cremated remains. These locations are not listed on the Deceased Search facility.
General Deceased Search Disclaimer
There are well over 1,000,000 people commemorated within Bunurong Memorial Park, Springvale Botanical and St Kilda cemeteries. Thus, it is not uncommon for our records to include a number of people with the same name. In this case, you will require additional accurate information about the person you are searching for so that you can verify the records found.
Records may be validated by information such as the cemetery location, the full name of the deceased (middle name), the age of the deceased, the date of birth, the date of death and the date of service.
If you do not have the additional information needed to validate a record, it may be obtained from the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
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Contact us
If you'd like to contact Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, please complete a form or call our customer care team on 1300 466 904.
Deceased Search Terms and Conditions
By using this Facility you accept these terms and agree to be bound by them.