Council responds to Stawell cemetery concerns

Northern Grampians Shire Council is responding to community concerns about the state of Pleasant Creek Cemetery, Stawell, while seeking to clarify some misconceptions about activities within the organisation’s scope. 

In the past few days, council staff have received complaints about fallen tree limbs, debris, weeds and rubbish at the site, with several complaints also made on community social media pages. 

Mayor Karen Hyslop said council’s Parks and Gardens team was aware of fallen tree limbs and debris at the cemetery following a storm in the early hours of Tuesday morning, which included high winds and significant rainfall. 

“This is a common occurrence across the shire at the moment as conditions are very dry, with many trees under significant stress,” she said.  

“The cemetery was scheduled for clean-up on Wednesday, however, council’s priority following a storm is ensuring people can access their homes and clearing major roads.” 

Cr Hyslop encouraged residents to log any safety concerns or instances of fallen trees or limbs via the Snap Send Solve smartphone application, so staff could take appropriate action. 

“While council might be aware of some instances, we cannot possibly be across everything in the shire. We encourage you to let us know,” she said.  

She said in relation to concerns about weeds in certain parts of the cemetery, council completed its spraying program in October and November as per its usual schedule.  

“While many of the weeds around the grounds have subsequently died, there is one particular weed – stinkwort – which has become chemically resistant to council's herbicide and unfortunately thrives under current weather conditions,” she said. 

“We have purchased an alternative herbicide, which will arrive in the coming fortnight and be applied as required. 

“Our staff are not mowing or whipper-snipping these weeds because the herbicide needs to be applied to the alive leaf.

“Once it is applied and the weed dies, council will then conduct appropriate brush cutting and maintenance works to tidy these areas.” 

Cr Hyslop said the organisation engaged qualified arborists for high-traffic locations, including cemeteries, every two years. 

She said following the report received in September 2025, several high-risk trees were trimmed to minimise potential safety concerns. 

“I would like to remind people that council can only facilitate maintenance work based on the resources available and in line with the allocation for cemeteries in our annual budget,” she said.  

“It is well-established we are seeking to ensure we maintain quality services despite the constraints posed by the rate-capped environment, inflation and reduced funding opportunities from the state and federal governments.” 

Cr Hyslop said council had allocated $400,000 across the 2024–25 and 2025–26 budgets to expand the secondary lawn cemetery, providing long-term interment capacity for approximately the next 40 years.  

“The assessment of the current lawn cemetery shows a lifespan of one to two years based on current interment rates, so we have prioritised this expansion in the budget because council is committed to ensuring the cemetery’s longevity,” she said.  

“Stage one of this project is already underway.” 

Cr Hyslop said she had noted concerns about conditions of some gravesites, headstones and monuments, which were outside of council’s scope. 

Council operates the cemetery within the powers available under the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 and its Cemeteries and Crematoria Regulations 2025. 

“This mandates what council can and cannot do, and when certain activities can be completed,” Cr Hyslop said.  

“The Right of Interment permit, which is one of the first steps a family must take to secure a plot, is a State Government process that provides rights and obligations to the right holder – which is usually an immediate family member.  

“This process outlines that right holders must maintain any memorial established at their interment site.  

“Descendants of the original right holders have the responsibility to maintain historic monuments and right holder consent is required for any works being undertaken for repair. 

“Council encourages families to maintain their sites, which will collectively aid in maintaining the cemetery grounds as well. 

“Council is the only authority that can provide a Right of Interment permit, which is essentially the process of securing a plot of land. If anyone in our community has queries regarding their plot status, such as a plot they believe has been placed on reserve, please contact council directly.” 

Cr Hyslop said another misconception was that council was not appropriately filling newer gravesites as the ground settled.  

“Interment sites need several months for the earth to settle into place. Back filling happens periodically to help this process, however it is a coordinated program with several factors at play,” she said. 

“We don't put down grass until this point either. Our team installs instant turf across multiple sites so grass can grow at similar rates, which is more efficient to maintain long term.” 

Cr Hyslop said council would like to encourage residents to see the cemetery as an important community asset.  

“We encourage people to respect the grounds upon entry and be mindful of where they park, as some of the large, grassed areas are unmarked gravesites that are currently being investigated and mapped by council,” she said. 

“If you see rubbish on the ground, we encourage you to pick it up and place it into the new bins we have placed around the grounds.

“We appreciate that the cemetery is an emotional and sensitive topic for many people, but council remains committed to providing a valuable service to the community during difficult times in their lives.” 

People can click here to discover more about council’s cemetery locations and services.