Expired Memorials
Most memorial sites are maintained in perpetuity, meaning they are intended to last forever and will not expire.
However, not all memorial sites have this arrangement. Some are established with a fixed tenure period based on the terms set at the time of arrangement. In these cases, the memorial site will eventually expire, and new arrangements will need to be made once the tenure period ends.
Checking if a memorial has expired
There are several ways to find out if a memorial has expired. For example:
If you are visiting the memorial in person, you will know if it has expired if it has had an orange sticker placed on it by one of our team
You can check the status of a memorial online (Deceased search)
You can speak to our team (Deceased search form)
What happens when a memorial expires
When tenure expires, families will need to make arrangements for the expired memorial through the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT). Failing any contact by family, expired memorials will be scheduled for disestablishment. In compliance with State Government requirements, SMCT informs families of expired memorials by:
• Placing orange stickers on plaques at expired memorials
• Periodically placing public notices in the Herald Sun newspaper, listing expired memorials scheduled to be disestablished, with memorials disestablished two months after being listed in the public notices
• Listing memorials due for disestablishment
• Erecting signs within the grounds encouraging families to contact SMCT
What you can do
If we have contacted you regarding a memorial, or if you believe that you are the holder of the right of interment for a memorial that is expiring or has expired, you can either:
Transfer the memorial to perpetuity (so it is held for all time), or
Collect the person's ashes to be memorialised in a different way.
Please contact one of our Customer Support Consultants on (03) 8558 8299 or email enquiries@smct.org.au to discuss your options.
Understanding tenure - Important dates
The policies regarding tenure for cremation memorials have changed over the years. The following list of important dates will help you to determine if a memorial has a limited tenure, or is held in perpetuity.
Memorial purchase date | Type of memorial | Tenure |
Prior to 24 August 1955 | All cremation memorials | Held in perpetuity (for all time) |
Between 24 August 1955 and 31 December 1975 | Tree, wall niche or ground niche | 50 years* |
Shrub or rose | 25 years* | |
Between 1 January 1976 and 5 June 1998 | All cremation memorials | 25 years** |
*Tenure commences when the position is taken up
**Tenure commences from date of purchase, including reservations
Memorial purchase date | Tenure policy update |
From 5 June 1998 onwards | All families have the opportunity to transfer existing limited tenure memorials to perpetuity (for all time) and to purchase new memorials in perpetuity |
From 1 July 2017 | All cremation memorials can only be purchased in perpetuity (for all time) |
How to check the status of a memorial
The easiest way to check the status of a memorial at Springvale Botanical Cemetery is to do so online, using our Deceased Search toolExternal site.
If you would prefer, you can also contact our Customer Support Consultants on (03) 8558 8299, or by emailing enquiries@smct.org.au.
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