Memorial Landscape & Tree Planting
The Simple, Natural, Economical Burial Alternative
We offer an unusual burial alternative in a beautiful location and follow sustainable practices. Kurweeton landscape cemetery is left in a natural state, a tree is planted nearby, on Mt Elephant, to honour and celebrate the life of your loved one. The deceased’s name will be recorded in perpetuity on the memorial wall. A tranquil setting to visit and remember times shared, immersed by nature.
The burial service includes pick up, administration, burial preparation, and burial for a single, one-time fee of $3750 (including GST).
There is a unique opportunity to create your own personal farewell and last rites, or work with your preferred funeral director, elder or celebrant to personalise the celebration. We encourage friends and families to bring significant symbolic gestures; flowers, letters, songs, stories, memorabilia to share before the interment.
Contact Us
1300 466 860
For immediate help with a burial, please call 1300 466 860 (this goes to our call centre, open 24 hours a day) and ask to speak to the Manager.
Use our contact form to email us.
Upright Burials provides Australians with a proven alternative in burials that is simple, natural, and economical. We have been offering a burial service since 2010.
The burial service includes pick up, administration, burial preparation, and burial for a single, one-time fee of $3750 (including GST). We offer assistance in organising a burial pre-payment.
We offer individuals the opportunity to be buried in a rural setting using a simple approach that considers the environment and minimises financial burdens for the deceased or the family.
Registration of Intent
Advanced Planning & Pre-Payment
If you are planning to register for an upright burial please register your details and select the type of service you require.
Once you have completed the registration form our Manager will follow up with a phone call and walk you through what you will need to proceed with and to answer any questions you may have.
Funeral Directors’ Package
There is a unique opportunity to create your own personal farewell and last rites, or work with your preferred funeral director, elder, or celebrant to personalise the celebration.
Funeral Directors please go to our Funeral Director Package Page.
You can use our contact form to email us.
Location
Kurweeton Road (Public) Cemetery
Located in the Corangamite Shire, Victoria, Australia. Approximately 200km West of Melbourne, southwest of Mt. Elephant, an extinct volcano that is a prominent geographic feature of the western Victorian plains.
The cemetery is a peaceful, pastoral setting that is purposefully left in a natural state to minimise impact on the environment.
The name of the deceased person will be recorded in perpetuity on the memorial wall, and the next of kin will receive an exact location of the individual gravesite, which can be visited at any time.
In line with Upright Burials’ values, for every person buried a tree is planted at Mt. Elephant. This planting program contributes to offsetting the carbon emissions produced in the holding, transportation, and burial process.
Looking After Eco Friendly
As Kurweeton Road Cemetery is kept in a natural state, there are no individual headstones or grave markers. Family and friends are provided with the exact location of the grave and are welcome to visit at any time.
Details of the deceased are recorded on a memorial wall at the cemetery’s entrance. Graves are secure in perpetuity.
For each person buried a tree is planted on nearby Mt. Elephant, which helps to offset carbon emissions.
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History
In the mid ’80s George Lines initiated the concept of a vertical burial business, created a trust fund, and identified individuals who were interested enough to support the business concept and become investors.
As an agricultural consultant, he could see the low margins farmers operated on and viewed the new business as a way to bring money back to the bush. He has always has been a person comfortable working at the boundaries of social norms and questioning ‘common knowledge and was enthusiastic about providing an eco-friendly option.
Current
Lois and Tony were foundation investors, and have assumed full responsibility for the ongoing operations. Upright Burials have been operating since 2010, with increasing support and popularity being shown for this alternative, eco, natural burial.
Meet The Team Tony & Lois Dupleix
A very Australian alternative to traditional funerals.
Upright Burials has inherent appeal for many people as it provides a burial option that is simple, natural, and economical.
Tony Dupleix (B. Ag. Sci (Hons))
Tony has been one of the drivers in establishing the business and oversees the daily operations of Upright Burials. Tony has been involved in agricultural interests his entire career, lives on and operates a farm near Camperdown.
He has held numerous leadership roles in the local community (farming groups, Fire Brigade, charities) and has been recognised with a Life Governorship of SouthWest Healthcare, and Life Membership of Camperdown Theatre Company.
Tony was immediately drawn to the opportunity to be involved in such an unusual and innovative business and is constantly encouraged by the many hundreds of people over recent years who have voiced their support for this burial process. Tony is the spokesperson for Upright Burials.
As Managing Director, he oversees the daily operation of the business.
“The cemetery is purposefully kept in a natural state, without the use of headstones. “Numerous people have expressed interest in using Upright Burials over the years, and we’ve been working diligently to make it a reality. The interest simply reflects that this natural approach to burial has captured people’s imagination and that for many this type of burial represents a strong fit with their values,” says Mr. Dupleix.
Lois Dupleix
Lois has been fascinated by the concept of Upright Burials and became a unit-holder at the very beginning in 1984.
She works full-time running her Lake Edge Cafe near Camperdown, and when whenever she can, is honoured to be involved with the burials.
Lois is always interested to meet the families at the Cemetery, loves to hear their stories and help in any way possible.
The Lake Edge Cafe is only a 5-minute drive from Camperdown and a half-hour drive from Kurweeton Road Cemetery.
Situated on the edge of Lake Purrumbete it is in a beautiful location and provides meals and refreshments.
Posted by Upright Burials on Sunday, December 20, 2020
What To Expect
1.
Register Intent
Upright Burials have developed simple processes to help minimise decision-making during a stressful time and that allows family members more time to support each other in celebrating the life of their loved one.
One way of doing this is to pre-plan your funeral arrangements. If you are planning to register for an upright burial please register your details here.
Our Manager will follow up with a phone call to walk you through the necessary details and to answer any questions you may have.
2.
Before Body Collection
It is necessary to prepare the body for collection.
This is the last opportunity to farewell the deceased.
What is the deceased wearing to be buried in? What needs to be added or removed?
Perhaps have a plan in place with this in mind to make it easier for friends and relatives to fulfill this wish.
This can be discussed further upon registration of interest.
If you need assistance, please call us on 1300 466 860.
3.
Prepare for the Day of Interment
Preparing a sense of occasion. Symbolic gestures – how to prepare for the day of farewell? Whilst there is a short explanation of the burial process before interment takes place there’s no formal memorial service offered.
We encourage personalisation of the shared farewell to come from relatives and friends. Bring flowers. Bring anything written to say/sing/play/perform/old letters etc… bring anything symbolic to add to the grave.
Want a more formal commemorative service? We can work with your funeral director to incorporate our burial process within a traditional service if that is your preference.
The Process
Upright Burials provides Australians with a proven alternative in burials that is simple, natural, and economical.
Our burial approach is distinctive in a number of ways:
It is environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable.
The body is placed in a vertical position in a biodegradable body bag.
The burial method uses a far simpler and safer approach that removes the OH&S issues and labour costs associated with traditional horizontal burial.
The burial service includes pick up, administration, burial preparation, and burial for a single, one-time fee of $3,750 (including GST). *For Melbourne Metropolitan area. There is an additional per kilometer charge for all other areas. Please contact us for further details.
If you intend to pre-plan and use our service for an upright burial, please register your details.
Each site is secure forever.
As Kurweeton Road Cemetery is kept in a natural state, there are no individual headstones or grave markers.
Details of the deceased are recorded on a memorial wall at the cemetery’s entrance.
Family and friends are provided with the exact location of the grave and are welcome to visit at any time.
Traditional Funeral Services
For those who wish to have a traditional funeral service but still want an eco-friendly and economical burial, we can work with your nominated Funeral Director to fit in with the service that they provide and still have the burial at the Kurweeton Road Cemetery using Upright Burials method.
NO-FUSS BASIC SERVICE
That can be personalised.
- Secure – each individual site is secure forever, with no additional fees payable
- Environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable, non-energy intensive, the process leaves the lightest carbon footprint possible
- Tree Planting – Energy used in the collection, storage, and delivery of the deceased to the cemetery is partially offset via the planting of a tree at Mt. Elephant, the location has become a habitat for native marsupials and birds
- Green Power – where possible Upright Burials minimises the use of unnecessary resources
- Landscaping – surrounding land is used for grazing sheep
- Economic – the simplified burial process minimises costs
The four-hectare cemetery is part of a natural, panoramic setting located within sight of Mt. Elephant. For any person who likes the notion of a peaceful, pastoral setting as their final resting place, this cemetery is a superb location.
Location – Kurweeton Road Cemetery
Located in Corangamite Shire, Victoria, Australia.
Approximately 200km West of Melbourne, southwest of Mt. Elephant, an extinct volcano that is a prominent geographic feature of the western Victorian plains.
The cemetery is a peaceful, pastoral setting that is purposefully left in a natural state to minimise impact on the environment.
The name of the deceased person will be recorded in perpetuity on a memorial wall, and the next of kin will receive an exact location of the individual grave site.
A single one-time fee secures your site forever and includes collection from anywhere in the Melbourne metropolitan area.
In line with Upright Burials’ values, for every person buried a tree is planted at Mt. Elephant. This planting program contributes to offsetting the carbon emissions produced in the holding, transportation, and burial process.
Natural, sustainable, upright burial in a memorial landscape setting. A plaque and memorial tree honour and celebrate the life of your loved ones. A beautiful place to visit and remember times shared, immersed in nature.
OUR MISSION
Green, Eco Friendly, Economical Burial Service – Upright Burials.
Our burial service offers the individual the chance to be buried in a rural setting using a simple approach that considers the environment and minimises financial burdens for the deceased or the family.
SIMPLE
From first contact to the burial itself, Upright Burials have developed the simplest possible process that minimises decision-making during a stressful time and allows family members more time for supporting each other and celebrating the life of their loved one. We also provide pre-plan registrations that can simplify the process even further.
NATURAL
Eco-Friendly. Upright Burials as a business, and in providing burials, aims to leave the lightest possible carbon footprint on the Earth.
ECONOMICAL
Upright Burials deliver a highly professional, quality-controlled burial that minimises the financial burden normally associated with traditional burials.