Project Cultivate
Enhancing the natural environment of our historical cemetery sites
The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is committed to providing a welcoming environment for our communities, which is why we’ve embarked on a program of works to enhance the natural surrounds at our historical sites.
Known as Project Cultivate, the project aims to re-imagine horticultural possibilities at our sites in a way that supports the unique needs of our heritage locations, community and environment.
Planting locally native plants and grasses within our cemeteries, for example, will revitalise the current landscape in a way that complements and respects existing graves, pathways and monuments. It will also provide for a beautiful biodiverse environment that can be sustainably maintained.
Equipped to cope with the climate now and into the future, the diverse array of locally native plants selected for Project Cultivate are expected to deliver a number of benefits.
Please be aware that restoration of pathways, monuments or facilities are not in scope for Project Cultivate, which is focused on the horticultural elements of sites.
Pilot at Melbourne General Cemetery
Through Project Cultivate, we aim to enhance the visitor experience as well as the care of our heritage sites. An exploratory pilot currently being undertaken at Melbourne General Cemetery supports these objectives and informs our future vision.
What's been happening on the grounds?
- Holders of Rights in areas participating in the pilot, along with neighbouring properties, received a notification of the works and an invitation to provide feedback.
- A first wave of research was conducted including interviews with stakeholders and users of the site.
- We held an intimate Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country with Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurring people of the Kulin Nation, to strengthen our relationship with each other and the land we care for together.
- In May, we started laying mulch in the pilot areas. We have now completed laying 1,400m3 of mulch – the equivalent of 14,000 wheelbarrows worth of mulch or enough to cover the entire playing surface of the MCG with 7cm of mulch. Now that the mulched soil has been left to sit, we can see that it is retaining moisture and regulating temperature and can be dug effectively. Learn more about our mulching progress in this blog or watch the video below.
- SMCT horticultural representatives were present at Melbourne General Cemetery’s Open House Melbourne events on 29 - 30 July 2023. People from down the street to across the country were keen to hear about Project Cultivate and responded positively to the project aims and work to date. Click here to learn more about Melbourne General Cemetery’s presence at Open House Melbourne
- Thanks to improvements in soil quality, in August we began planting 127,000 native grasses, flowers and groundcovers of 16 different species throughout the cemetery grounds, at a rate of seven plants per square metre. These locally native plants will help to fill gaps, suppress weeds, and create a natural biodiverse environment.
Visitors can continue to access Melbourne General Cemetery throughout the pilot and will be provided with detours for any temporary path closures while works are underway.
About the project
Click each fact sheet to view
Exploring the advantages of locally native plants and grasses
Equipped to cope with the climate now and into the future, the diverse array of locally native plants selected for Project Cultivate are expected to deliver a number of benefits. Click here to view fact sheet.
What to expect
The outcome of the Project Cultivate pilot at Melbourne General Cemetery will be a developing native grassland, a kind becoming rarer and rarer in Victoria today. In this way, Melbourne General Cemetery has a unique opportunity to create and protect a large-scale endangered ecosystem in the heart of the city, for all to enjoy.
Horticultural works are taking place from approximately May to November 2023 from 7am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday. As indicated, visitors can continue to access the cemetery and will be provided with detours in the event of temporary path closures.
Please be aware that restoration of pathways, monuments or facilities are not in scope for Project Cultivate, which is focused on the horticultural elements of sites.
Have your say
We want to know how our communities want to see, feel, visit and experience our historical cemetery spaces and will use this research to guide our long-term planning. We encourage you to have your say and complete the survey.
For more information, please contact us at community@smct.org.au
