Funeral, cremation and burial services in Newcastle and Lower Hunter
Serving families across Newcastle, Cessnock, Maitland and Port Stephens. For families in Lake Macquarie, see our Lake Macquarie page.
Photo of Dixon Park Beach by Caleb Smith on Unsplash
What we do is about loving people
We provide thoughtful personal touches for families across Newcastle and the Lower Hunter at no extra cost — a personalised slideshow with music for a funeral, a choice of 21 urns for cremation, or a basket of rose petals for burial.
Funeral prices include a small premium casket cover of fresh seasonal flowers — if you prefer to arrange your own, that cost is deducted. Our standard coffin options for a funeral are ones families find beautiful.
Families who can pay our normal price help those who can't. We're not about creating wealth for ourselves or raising funds for another cause. We want to serve all families well.
Prices
No upfront payment required. Funeral prices include choice of coffin and flowers.
Direct cremation: $2,699 see what's included
Funeral and cremation at Newcastle Memorial Park: $6,799 see what's included
Church followed by an unattended cremation: $6,299 see what's included
Funeral and burial: $6,199 see what's included — excludes cemetery fees
What families say
"I felt at ease with Marc straight away" — Jim P.
"Very upfront and honest about the costs" — Belinda L.
"Genuine care and compassion… deep and sincere" — Robert & Bronwyn Sandeman
Available day and night
Call us on 1300 136 473
Read more
Serving local families since 2016
Marc has supported families in or near Adamstown, Beresfield, Broadmeadow, Hamilton, Jesmond, Mayfield, Merewether, New Lambton Heights, Sandgate, Swansea, Toronto, Waratah and Wallsend — and across the wider Lower Hunter, including Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock, Port Stephens and Raymond Terrace.
Before contacting any funeral director
Not sure where to start? Our guide to what to do when someone dies is written for any family, whatever funeral director you choose.
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.
Choice of crematorium location
Most families choose for the cremation to take place in South-Western Sydney, as it is our most affordable option, with ashes returned to Newcastle or the Lower Hunter.
Cremation is also available at Newcastle Memorial Park, for an additional $225.
What else might affect the price
The cremation permit is included in our standard price. The GP’s cremation advice is an additional fee that is sometimes also required — but neither usually applies when the Coroner is involved. See below for details.
Returning ashes
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
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Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | $340
Cremation coffin | $150
Cremation (South-Western Sydney) | $610
Death certificate | $68
Medical Referee cremation permit | $110
GP cremation advice* (typically $0–$200) | $0
Never required when death occurred in a hospital. Usually applies if the person died in aged care or at home. Rarely applicable when Coroner is involved.
Our professional fee
Complete service including urn (21 designs available), return of ashes, and contribution to funeral costs to help families with limited means | $1,421
Total: $2,699 (inc GST)
Additional options:
Have your loved one dressed in particular clothes | $185
Upgraded urn from extended catalogue (sold at cost - view options) | $40 - $3,000+
Pre-paid administration fee (if applicable) | $350
What every funeral includes
What's Included in every funeral arrangement:
In our care
Transfer into our care — day or night, no extra fee
Accommodation of your loved one at the care facility (up to 2 weeks)
Preparation and presentation of your loved one (1)
Arranged for you
Flowers — small premium casket cover of fresh seasonal flowers (2)
Standard options: Richmond coffin (choice of veneer) or Decorated Outside the Box cardboard casket. Upgrades available — including a locally crafted recycled timber design.
Civil celebrant, minister or priest — coordinated with us; cost varies and is not included in our fee (3)
On the day
Funeral staff — experienced team; additional staff added if needed (4)
Transfer of your loved one to the service venue (5)
Mints, tissues and carefully chosen guest book and pens — small comforts to welcome those who attend
Slideshow with photos and music — personalised to your wishes
Paperwork arranged for cremation or burial (6)
For burial — basket of rose petals for the graveside.
After the service
Death certificate — usually arrives within a week
For a cremation — choice of 21 designs included, or upgrade to 1,000+ other designs, available at cost.
Person-centred aftercare
(1) Embalming is only required in specific circumstances and is not included. We'll advise you if it applies.
(2) If you prefer to arrange the flowers, that cost is simply deducted.
(3) They have a significant bearing on the funeral and can be invaluable. A civil celebrant always charges this. If the person was a member of a church, unless Catholic or Orthodox, it is usually not expected. See funeral price information for more details.
(4) Extra staff may be needed when there is a viewing prior to the service, for large gatherings or difficult-to-access venues — we'll always let you know first.
(5) For a service at the crematorium, we transfer your loved one to the chapel before guests arrive. Alternatively a hearse can be arranged for an additional fee. For church services or burials, a hearse is always provided.
(6) Some cremation paperwork involves external fees. Our pricing includes the most common fee. If anything else is needed, we'll guide you clearly.
Newcastle Memorial Park, Beresfield
Chapel options
Newcastle Memorial Park has two chapels filled with natural light:
North Chapel – Seats 110 guests
East Chapel – Seats 55 guests
Both chapels are fully equipped with audio-visual technology for music, photos, and videos. Live-streaming and recording services are available, allowing family and friends to be part of the service even if they cannot attend in person.
A chapel can be used before either cremation or burial. For burials, it provides a longer, weather-protected service with audio-visual support before proceeding to the graveside.
Functions
After the service, some families choose to have a function at Beresfield Bowling Club.
Common options
Funeral and burial at Newcastle Memorial Park
Service at a church
We can arrange for a funeral or memorial service to be held at your own church. Or, if you would like us to help find one, we can assist.
The donation for a pastor, minister or priest is typically around $500. For members of Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Uniting, independent Evangelical, some Pentecostal, or similar churches, no donation is usually anticipated. For Catholic or Orthodox services, it may be more. Either way, the true cost to a church can be a multiple of what is expected.
Common options are:
Funeral with burial — either with the burial after a church funeral or before a church memorial service
Church memorial service — after a cremation or burial
Service followed by cremation
The person who leads the service — whether a celebrant, minister or priest — has a significant bearing on the funeral. The cost is typically around $500. A celebrant always charges this.
For members of Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Uniting, independent evangelical, some pentecostal, or similar churches, this is often nil. For Catholic or Orthodox services, it may be more. Either way, the true cost to a church can be a multiple of what is charged.
Newcastle Memorial Park crematorium
If you would like a brief viewing beforehand, Newcastle Memorial Park does charge for this.
We recommend booking an extra 45-minute time slot if you'd like more time or a private viewing beforehand.
Total (including GST):$6,799
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Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | $340
Care facility accomodation | $220
Preparation and presentation of your loved one | $215
Richmond coffin or Decorated Outside the Box cardboard casket [a] | $660
Transfer of your loved one to the chapel before guests arrive [b] | $295
Chapel hire with AV support, livestream and cremation afterwards — Newcastle Memorial Park | $1,395
Premium seasonal small floral tribute from | $375
Civil celebrant, Minister, Pastor or Priest (could be $500) | $0
Death certificate from Births Deaths and Marriages | $68
Cremation permit by Medical Referee Doctor | $110
GP cremation advice (up to $200+) | $0
Never required when death occurred in a hospital. Usually applies if the person died in aged care or at home. Rarely applicable when Coroner is involved.
Our professional services fee
Complete service including coordination of all arrangements, two staff on the day, photo slideshow with music, guest book, urn (21 designs available) [c], and aftercare | $3,121
Total (inc GST) | $6,799
A portion of our professional services fee supports families who cannot meet the full cost of a funeral.
Alternatives
[a] Coffin or casket options | $720 –$3,500+
[b] Coffin arriving by hearse (replacing one staff member) | $580
[c] Urn options (1,000+) | available at cost + shipping
Additional options
Orders of service (simple design, 50 copies) | $185
Additional staff member (for larger services or with a viewing) | $300
Additional time slot (45 minutes) |$400
Pre-paid funeral administration fee (if applicable) | $350
Service at a church — followed by unattended cremation
With an unattended cremation, the family does not travel to the crematorium — they can stay together at the church or gather elsewhere for refreshments, without feeling rushed.
Alternatively, a committal service can take place in Newcastle Crematorium for an additional $1,325 – to allow for the chapel hire and an extended hearse hire.
We usually have three staff in attendance — though two may suffice in some circumstances (saving $300), and where steps are involved, a fourth person will be required, whether a staff member or family member.
Total (including GST): $6,299
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | $340
Care facility accomodation | $220
Preparation and presentation of your loved one | $215
Richmond coffin or Decorated Outside the Box cardboard casket [a] | $660
Hearse hire and driver | $575
Unattended cremation — Newcastle Memorial Park | $645
Premium seasonal small floral tribute from | $375
Civil celebrant, Minister, Pastor or Priest (could be $500) | $0
Death certificate from Births Deaths and Marriages | $68
Cremation permit by Medical Referee Doctor | $110
GP cremation advice (up to $200+) | $0
Never required when death occurred in a hospital. Usually applies if the person died in aged care or at home. Rarely applicable when Coroner is involved.
Our professional services fee
Complete service including coordination of all arrangements, two staff on the day, photo slideshow with music, guest book, urn (21 designs available) [b], and aftercare | $3,091
Total (inc GST) | $6,299
A portion of our professional services fee supports families who cannot meet the full cost of a funeral.
Alternatives
[a] Coffin or casket options | $720 –$3,500+
[b] Urn options (1,000+) | available at cost + shipping
Additional options
Orders of service (simple design, 50 copies) | $185
Additional staff (for steps at church, to manage the audio-visual system, with a viewing or expectation of many attendees) | $300
Pre-paid funeral administration fee (if applicable) | $350
Funeral followed by burial
The total below excludes grave, interment, and other cemetery fees.
It includes four staff; two family pallbearers reduces this by $600.
Where the service moves between a church and a cemetery, an additional $575 applies.
Total (including GST):$6,199
-
Expenses — costs paid to those we work with
Transfer into our care, anytime day or night | $340
Care facility accomodation | $220
Preparation and presentation of your loved one | $215
Richmond coffin or Decorated Outside the Box cardboard casket [a] | $660
Hearse hire and driver | $575
This covers a service at the graveside only. Where the service moves between a church and a cemetery, the fee is $1,150.
Premium seasonal small floral tribute from | $375
Civil celebrant, Minister, Pastor or Priest (could be $500) | $0
Some churches do not expect a donation where the person who died was a member. Others expect a donation/payment of a given amount. The true cost to a church in staff time can be considerably more than these.
Death certificate from Births Deaths and Marriages | $68
Our professional services fee
Complete service including coordination of all arrangements, four staff on the day (including the hearse driver), photo slideshow with music, guest book, rose petals for the graveside, and aftercare | $3,746
If two family members can assist with carrying the coffin for the service (and perhaps lowering the coffin at the grave), this can be reduced by $600.
Total without cemetery fees (inc GST) | $6,199
A portion of our professional services fee supports families who cannot meet the full cost of a funeral.
Alternative
[a] Coffin or casket options | $720 –$3,500+
Additional options
Orders of service (simple design, 50 copies) | $185
Additional staff member (for larger services or heavier coffin) | $300
Pre-paid funeral administration fee (if applicable) | $350
Cemeteries in Newcastle
Prices are provided in good faith but can change. The cost of the least expensive grave, respectively, is shown below.
We recommend contacting the cemetery directly to review all options and choose a site. For general enquiries, call us on 1300 136 473.
Newcastle Memorial Park
Newcastle Memorial Park offers three burial options:
Headstone Lawn – A traditional burial plot in a lawn cemetery, with a granite headstone fixed to a concrete beam. Burial sites are perpetual.
Olive Grove – A landscaped burial area featuring olive trees and shrubs. Memorial plaques are positioned in a raised granite garden bed. Burial plots are double-depth, allowing for single or double interment.
Eternal Lawn – A simple and dignified option with a bronze memorial plaque set at ground level on a granite tablet. Graves are prepared for single or double interment. Burial sites are perpetual.
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 April 2026. The cost of the least expensive grave is shown below.
New grave, plaque and lawn base, and interment total (including GST) from: $13,217
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Grave | $3,860
Interment | $2,790
Levy | $172
Plaque and lawn base | $6,395
Total (including GST) | $13,217
Sandgate Cemetery
Established in 1881, Sandgate Cemetery operates as a not-for-profit organisation with a history of no sales commissions.
Monumental Lawn – A well-maintained lawn with seating and shelter, featuring sculpted granite headstones.
Monumental Graves – Traditional full-monument graves designed to endure for generations, with views across the grounds.
Crypts – Accessed through an intimate outdoor chapel with a suspended domed roof, featuring freestanding pillars that balance strength and beauty.
Cultural Sections – Dedicated sections for Greek and Macedonian communities, with traditional monumental graves and thoughtfully landscaped surroundings.
As Sandgate Cemetery is near the Hunter River, occasional rises in water levels can impact burial timing.
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 December 2025. The cost of the least expensive grave is shown below.
New grave with interment total, excluding plaques or headstone (including GST) from: $5,097
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Grave | $1,455
Interment | $3,075
Levy | $172
Administration | $395
Excludes plaque or headstone
Total from (including GST) | $5,097
Is the Price Beyond Your Means?
We offer funeral cost support when needed, made possible by families who choose our standard fees. We can also point you toward charities and government programs that may help.