Funeral, cremation and burial services in the Illawarra Region
Providing genuine care and thoughtful personal touches for families in Wollongong, Kiama and Shellharbour
Framed by the majestic Illawarra Escarpment, this region weaves together bush, beach and everyday life in a way that’s uniquely beautiful.
Both Marc and Lachlan have previously cared for families here through other organisations, and Lachlan has called Wollongong home with his family for over 30 years.
One feature that sets funeral customs in the Illawarra apart is the importance many families place on gathering for refreshments after a service — a time to share stories, offer comfort, and continue the sense of togetherness.
Service Options with Personal Touches and Care
Whatever arrangements you choose — whether a cremation-only service, a funeral and cremation, or a funeral and burial — we offer thoughtful touches of care.
How We Care for Every Family
Each cremation includes a choice of urns, suitable for keeping or for scattering with dignity if desired.
Every burial includes a basket of rose petals for family and friends to sprinkle on the coffin or casket.
Families arranging a funeral can also choose from coffins and caskets offered at cost, including a distinctive option locally handcrafted from recycled timber.
From the welcome table on the day of the service, we offer quiet care from the very first moment.
Whether or not you choose to have a funeral service, our support continues gently in the weeks that follow, through thoughtful aftercare.
Thanks to families who pay the usual fee, we’re also able to extend the same level of care to those in financial need.
See Local Quote and Options
Cremation-Only with Personal Touches and Care
Some families seek a simple, efficient cremation. Others also value having time to share stories and memories with us along the way.
Whatever your needs, we are here to care for your family with quiet gestures of care and support — not just arrangements.
Most families choose for the cremation to take place in South-Western Sydney, as it is our most affordable option. Cremation is also available at a local crematorium, for an additional fee.
Your loved one’s ashes will be returned to you, or to a cemetery or memorial garden if you wish, with care, in the way that suits your family best — with no additional cost for collection, delivery, or postage.
Learn more about Cremation-Only
Total (including GST): $2,699
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | 340
Cremation-only coffin | 200
Death certificate | 75
Cremation Permit by Medical Referee Doctor | 110
Cremation Advice by GP, charges typically range from 0 to 200*| 0
Cremation-only (in Sydney) | 565
Cremation levy | 45
Our Fees — including our margin
Professional services for Cremation-Only, with choice of dignified urn and contribution to Subsidised Funeral Support^ | 1,364
Total (inc GST) $2,699
*We only pass on these fees if they are charged to us.
^ We believe a funeral is a service before it’s a business — so we set aside part of what we receive to help families in need.
If applicable, the pre-paid administration fee is $350.
Funeral Options with Personal Touches and Care
What’s Included in Every Funeral Arrangement
Each funeral quote includes everything needed for a meaningful service:
Transfer into our care — Day or night, with no extra fee
Care facility accomodation
Compassionate Preparation of Loved One
Flowers — Small premium casket cover of fresh seasonal flowers *
Richmond coffin — MDF with a choice of veneer; upgrades include a locally crafted recycled timber design entered in the Australian Good Design Awards
Celebrant / Minister / Priest — Someone you know, or we can arrange one for you *
Funeral staff — Experienced team; additional staff added if needed ^
Carriage of coffin ^^
Guest book — By either a designer or artisan, depending on availability
Music and slideshow — Customised to your wishes
Paperwork arranged for cremation or burial **
Death certificate — Usually arrives within a week
*If you prefer to arrange the service leader or the flowers yourself, that cost is simply deducted.
^Extra staff may be needed for large gatherings or difficult-to-access venues — we’ll always let you know first.
^^For a burial or church service, the coffin is taken by hearse. For crematorium chapel services, the coffin is usually transported discreetly by van and placed in the chapel before the service.
**Some cremation paperwork involves external fees. Our pricing includes the most common fee. If anything else is needed, we’ll guide you clearly.
Still deciding between burial and cremation?
If you’re unsure, learn more about Funeral followed by Cremation or Funeral followed by Burial.
The most common options
Service at Lakeside Memorial Park, Kanahooka/Dapto, followed by cremation or burial
Service at Shoalhaven Memorial Gardens And Lawn Cemetery, Worrigee, followed by cremation or burial
Service at a church, chapel, or only at the graveside — followed by burial
Funeral Options at Lakeside Memorial Park
Lakeside chapel
The chapel has large windows on either side, giving onto a lush garden setting and allowing natural to filter through. The chapel seats 120 guests, with an overflow with standing room for many more under the portico outside.
It also has an audio-visual system for slideshow presentations, music and live-streaming.
Functions
Families sometimes choose to have an after service gathering at the Dapto Leagues Club.
More about funeral options
Choose from the below:
Funeral Options at Shoalhaven Memorial Gardens And Lawn Cemetery
Lakeside chapel
The chapel has large windows on either side, giving onto a lush garden setting and allowing natural to filter through. The chapel seats 120 guests, with an overflow with standing room for many more under the portico outside.
It also has an audio-visual system for slideshow presentations, music and live-streaming.
Functions
Families sometimes choose to have an after service gathering at the Dapto Leagues Club.
More about funeral options
Choose from the below:
Service followed by cremation
There are different kinds of services we provide. We only offer the small chapel option in the Macarthur Region.
Forest Lawn Memorial Park crematorium
Total (including GST): $7,199
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | 340
Care facility accomodation | 220
Compassionate Preparation of Loved One | 215
Richmond coffin | 440
Early delivery at the crematorium with the coffin in place | 195
Crematorium chapel hire and cremation | 1,665
Premium small floral tribute from | 370
Civil celebrant / Minister / Priest from | 450
Orders of service sheets (from 275 for 50 copies with 4 pages) | 0
Death certificate | 75
Cremation Permit by Medical Referee Doctor | 110
Cremation advice by GP, charges typically range from 0 to 200* | 0
Our Fees — including our margin
Professional services for funeral and cremation — arranging all services, two funeral staff, guest book, choice of urns, before and after care, and contribution to Funeral Cost Help^ | 3,119
Total (inc GST) | $7,199
*We only pass on these fees if they are charged to us
^ We believe a funeral is a service before it’s a business — so we set aside part of what we receive to help families in need.
If applicable, the pre-paid administration fee is $350.
Service at a Church — followed by unattended cremation
Funeral service held at your chosen church, followed by an unattended cremation.
Total (including GST): $6,499
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | 340
Care facility accomodation | 220
Compassionate Preparation of Loved One | 215
Standard coffin (Richmond) | 440
Hearse hire and driver | 575
Unattended cremation # | 610
Premium small floral tribute | 370
Minister or Priest, suggested donation starting from | 450
Orders of service sheets (from 275 for 50 copies with 4 pages) | 0
Death certificate | 75
Cremation Permit by Medical Referee Doctor | 110
Cremation advice by GP, charges typically range from 0 to 200*| 0
Our Fees — including our marginProfessional services for funeral and cremation — arranging all services, two to three funeral staff, guest book, choice of urns, before and after care, and contribution to to Funeral Cost Help^ | 3,139
Additional staff member ($300, if required)
Total (including GST) | $6,499
# Prices vary from one crematorium to another but we generally absorb the difference if a local crematorium is chosen.*We only pass on these fees if they are charged to us
^ We believe a funeral is a service before it’s a business — so we set aside part of what we receive to help families in need.
Funeral Followed by Burial
The total below excludes grave, interment, chapel, and other cemetery fees.
If the service is held in a church, either before or after the burial, a donation to the church may be requested, typically starting from $200.
Total (including GST): $6,099
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | 340
Care facility accommodation | 220
Compassionate Preparation of Loved One | 215
Richmond coffin | 440
Hearse hire and driver | 575
Premium small floral tribute from | 370
Civil celebrant / Minister / Priest from | 450
Orders of service sheets (from 275 for 50 copies with 4 pages) | 0
Death certificate | 75
Our Fees — including our margin
Professional services for funeral and burial — arranging all services, three funeral staff aside from hearse driver, guest book, before and after care, and contribution to Subsidised Funeral Support^ | 3,414
Total without cemetery fees (inc GST): $6,099
^ We believe a funeral is a service before it’s a business — so we set aside part of what we receive to help families in need.
Cemeteries in the Illawarra
Cemeteries in Greater Wollongong include:
Lakeside Memorial Park
St Luke’s Cemetery, operated by Dapto Anglican Church
Bulli, Helensburgh and Scarborough cemeteries, run by Wollongong City Council, which have graves available, though certain conditions may apply
Cemeteries in the Shoalhaven are operated by Council and include:
Shoalhaven Memorial Gardens and Lawn Cemetery
Other cemeteries — Berry General Cemetery, Conjola Cemetery, Kangaroo Valley Cemetery and Nowra General Cemetery
Cemeteries in the
Burial at Shoalhaven Memorial Gardens and Lawn Cemetery
This cemetery and crematorium is the main one operated by Shoalhaven City Council. The grave options available are:
Bush garden sites
Lawn monument headstone sites
Lawn cemetery sites
It is recommended that families make an appointment to meet with someone from the cemetery to choose what suits best. Below is the starting cost for a lawn cemetery site.
Prices are correct as at May 2025 and rounded to the nearest $50. (See here for other cemeteries in the Illawarra).
New grave, interment and plaque (including GST): $7,300+
-
Grave | 4,327
Interment | 2,805
Levy | 172
Plaque included
Total (including GST) | $7,300+
Kiama Municipal Council Cemeteries
Kiama Municipal Council offer new burials at these cemeteries:
Kiama (Bombo) Cemetery
Jamberoo Cemetery
Gerringong Cemetery
Prices are correct as at May 2025 and rounded to the nearest $50.
New grave and interment total (including GST): $3,800+
Burial at Lakeside Memorial Park
Lakeside Memorial Park is the most well-known burial place in Greater Wollongong. Cemeteries in the region include:
St Luke’s Cemetery, operated by Dapto Anglican Church
Bulli, Helensburgh and Scarborough cemeteries, run by Wollongong City Council, which have graves available, though certain conditions may apply
Lakeside prices
At Lakeside, available options depend on several factors, including:
Type of memorial – options range from a simple bronze plaque set in the lawn to a more substantial headstone or monument.
Location within the grounds – areas include the lawns and the Olive Grove.
Each location and grave type is paired with specific memorial options, so selections must align with the available combinations.
It is recommended that families make an appointment to meet with someone from the cemetery to choose what suits best. Below is the starting cost.
Prices are correct as at May 2025 and rounded to the nearest $50.
New grave, plaque and interment total (including GST): $10,600+
-
Grave | 3,860
Interment | 2,790
Levy | 172
Burial Plaque and burial lawn base | 3,765
Total (including GST) | $10,600+
Funeral Followed by Burial
The total below excludes grave, interment, chapel, and other cemetery fees.
If the service is held in a church, either before or after the burial, a donation to the church may be requested, typically starting from $200.
Total (including GST): $6,099
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | 340
Care facility accommodation | 220
Compassionate Preparation of Loved One | 215
Richmond coffin | 440
Hearse hire and driver | 575
Premium small floral tribute from | 370
Civil celebrant / Minister / Priest from | 450
Orders of service sheets (from 275 for 50 copies with 4 pages) | 0
Death certificate | 75
Our Fees — including our margin
Professional services for funeral and burial — arranging all services, three funeral staff aside from hearse driver, guest book, before and after care, and contribution to Subsidised Funeral Support^ | 3,414
Total without cemetery fees (inc GST): $6,099
^ We believe a funeral is a service before it’s a business — so we set aside part of what we receive to help families in need.
Burial at Lakeside Memorial Park
The available options are determined by specific factors, including:
Type of memorial – options range from a simple bronze plaque set in the lawn to a more substantial headstone or monument.
Location within the grounds – areas include the lawns and the Olive Grove.
Each location and grave type is paired with specific memorial options, so selections must align with the available combinations.
It is recommended that families make an appointment to meet with someone from the cemetery to choose what suits best. Below is the starting cost.
Prices are correct as at May 2025 and rounded to the nearest $50.
New grave, plaque and interment total (including GST): $10,600+
-
Grave | 3,860
Interment | 2,790
Levy | 172
Burial Plaque and burial lawn base | 3,765
Total (including GST) | $10,600+
Burial at Thirlmere Cemetery
A beautiful council operated cemetery, in a semi-rural area with trees throughout.
Prices are correct as at May 2025 and rounded to the nearest $50.
New grave and interment total (including GST): $3,800+
-
Grave | 1,591
Interment | 1,395
Levy | 172
Order for interment | 636
Excludes monument or plaque, additional extra: Non Resident Fee (if applicable) $486.36 |
Total (including GST) | $3,800+