Project Cultivate
Enhancing the natural environment of our historical cemetery sites
The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is undertaking horticultural works aimed at enhancing the natural landscapes of our historical cemetery sites.
Known as Project Cultivate, the works involve planting locally native plants and grasses to revitalise cemetery sites while complementing surrounding monuments, pathways and facilities. Carried out in consultation with stakeholders including families, the local community and Traditional Owners, the project is succeeding in establishing a beautiful biodiverse environment that can be sustainably maintained.
The current phase of the project, supported by matched funding from the City of Melbourne’s Urban Forest Fund will install another 2234m3 of organic mulch, and a staggering 245,965 indigenous grassland plants to the remaining 23.42 acres of the site suitable for Project Cultivate. This will bring the number of indigenous plants installed at MGC to a half a million!
Sustainability Award Winner
In October the project was announced as the winner of the 2024 Tidy Cities Sustainability Awards in the environment category.
The Tidy Towns and Cities Sustainability Awards from Keep Australia Beautiful (Victoria) celebrate inspiring community-led sustainability projects.
Community Planting Day
Our Planet ARK/SMCT Community Planting Day on 12 October at Melbourne General Cemetery was amazing! With the help of around 80 volunteers, we were able to plant an additional 2,150 locally native wildflowers and groundcovers, introducing 10 new species to the Project Cultivate grassland! It was heartwarming to witness such positive engagement and a genuine passion from the local community to preserving and enhancing our natural environment.
October Community Planting Day Video
Update on the pilot at Melbourne General Cemetery
An exploratory pilot at Melbourne General Cemetery (MGC) commenced in May 2023. In the first two phases of the project, we have planted over 250,000 locally native grasses, wildflowers and groundcovers, of 19 different species. These works have already benefited the cemetery in many ways, including:
- Over 70% reduction in herbicide use. By the project’s completion and plant establishment, we anticipate a 97% reduction in herbicide usage across the site.
- 3°C reduction in ambient air temperature around mulched and planted areas.
- Improved soil quality and reduction in erosion, runoff and water pooling.
- Small birds using grasslands for gathering nesting materials and feeding.
- Increased insect activity including grasshoppers, moths, and native bees, butterflies and beneficial insects.
- Increase in Blue-tongued lizard population.
- Plants dropping and spreading seed, propagating themselves and creating a self-sustaining population.
- At the conclusion of the current phase of this project, we will have planted 58% of the suitable areas of the cemetery.
- We will be installing another 2234m3 of organic mulch and a staggering 245,965 indigenous grassland plants to the remaining 23.42 acres of the site suitable for Project Cultivate. This will bring the number of indigenous plants installed at MGC to a half a million!
Watch our plants grow over the last year
The story of Project Cultivate, featuring Costa Georgiadis
What’s been happening on the grounds
- Early 2023: Holders of Rights received a notification of the works and an invitation to provide
feedback. A first wave of research was conducted, with respondents rating the proposed changes
8.1 out of 9, demonstrating positive community feedback. - May 2023: Intimate Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country held with Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation.14,000 wheelbarrows worth of mulch laid to improve soil quality on site.
- August 2023: 127,000 indigenous grasses, flowers and groundcovers of 19 different species planted throughout the cemetery grounds, minimising erosion, suppress weeds, and creating a natural biodiverse environment.
- October 2023: Planting days held with community groups, schools and local MPs.
- November 2023: Mulch installation commenced for second phase of the project, with close to
1,800m3 of mulch installed. - February 2024: Event held at Melbourne General Cemetery with community, Traditional Owners and key project partners to celebrate the successful pilot, featuring presentations from SMCT, Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece, and Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis.
- March 2024: Planting commences in the second area of the project.
- April 2024: Second wave research report conducted, with 87% of respondents rating the changes
on site positively. - May 2024: Project Cultivate receives $500,000 of matched grant funding from The City of
Melbourne to see the project through to completion. - June 2024: Project Cultivate is shortlisted in the 2024 Tidy Towns & Cities Sustainability Awards, in
the environment category. - July 2024: The second stage of the project (Phase 1B) has nearly been completed, with an
additional 135,000 plants installed. - September 2024: Commencement of the third and final stage (Phase 1C) of the project, in
partnership with the City of Melbourne.
Praise for Project Cultivate
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
Tree Planting at Cemeteries
Explore the challenges of tree planting at Melbourne General Cemetery and the innovative solutions shaping sustainable revegetation.
Download Tree Planting at Cemeteries Fact Sheet
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 environment@smct.org.au
