Melbourne General Cemetery

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Carlton North, VIC
Melbourne General Cemetery

Melbourne's iconic and historically significant cemetery, characterised by its prime location, notable interments and Prime Ministers' Garden.

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is a public entity reporting to the Minister for Health, purposed with providing cemetery, cremation and related support services to the community on the government’s behalf. One of Australia’s most historically significant cemeteries, Melbourne General Cemetery is characterised by it’s notable interments, heritage listed Gate House, Prime Ministers Ga

rden and Saint Mary of the Cross mausoleum. Established in 1852, Melbourne General Cemetery is one of 11 cemeteries within the care of the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) and is SMCT’s oldest cemetery. The striking grounds, designed like a large public park, span 43 hectares (106 acres) and feature many historic and ornate monuments.

01/09/2026

🌼💛 Celebrating National Wattle Day 💛🌼
As the first signs of spring emerge, the bright blooms of wattles are lighting up our cemeteries and memorial parks.

Wattles are among Australia's most recognisable native plants and are celebrated for their resilience, diversity and connection to the Australian landscape. Across our sites, wattles provide vibrant colour, seasonal interest, and valuable food and shelter for birds, insects and other wildlife. 🐝🦋🐦 They also hold deep cultural significance for First Nations peoples and remain an important part of Australia's natural and cultural heritage. 🌿

At Melbourne General Cemetery, we're especially proud to have Golden Wattle planted by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin, recognising its ongoing cultural significance and connection to Country. 🌿

📷 Have you spotted wattle at one of our sites? We'd love to see your photos in the comments!

12/08/2026

Looking to spend time outdoors, connect with others and help care for our cemetery grounds? 🌿
Our Community Gardening Group meets on the last Friday of each month.

📅 Last Friday of each month
🕤 9.30am to 11.30am
📍 Meeting point: Northern Rotunda, near the McPherson Street entry

All are welcome to join and help with a range of gardening tasks, including weeding, mulching, pruning and planting. Basic gardening tools are provided, or you’re welcome to bring your own hand tools. Please note, no powered tools.
Come along, lend a hand and be part of caring for these important community spaces.

06/08/2026

🌼 Guling (orchid season) has arrived!

Wildflowers are budding, Currawongs are calling, and Project Cultivate is springing back to life. 🐦🌱

Look out for bright yellow Bulbine Lilies (Pike), blooming Yellow Gum (Terrck) , plus the first Native Bluebells, Billy Buttons and Everlastings. 💛

🍃 Listen for the buzz, click and flutter of life returning to our grasslands.

Curious about the seasonal changes you're seeing in our grasslands? Learn more about the Wurundjeri Seasons and what to look for in our Project Cultivate grasslands:

https://engagewith.smct.org.au/wurundjeri-seasons

26/07/2026

Please be advised that a nationwide emergency alert test will be sent to mobile devices across Australia today at 2:00pm.

When the test is issued, compatible mobile phones, smartwatches, and tablets may vibrate, display a test message, and play a loud siren-like sound for approximately 10 seconds. Please note that this will occur even if your device is set to silent.

Our cemetery grounds, services, and hospitality venues remain fully operational during this time.

If you are attending a funeral service, a scheduled appointment, or visiting a loved one's memorial around 2:00pm today, we gently encourage you to switch your devices off entirely or place them into aeroplane mode to help minimise any disruptions.

Please be aware that if you switch your device back on during or shortly after the test period, you may still receive the alert.

Our team members will be on hand across all our locations to provide support and guidance. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a peaceful environment for all our visiting families.

For further information regarding the emergency test, please visit: https://www.ausalert.gov.au/alerts-explained/national-test

28/06/2026

Transform your garden with native plants.

Creating a beautiful, sustainable environment requires a deep understanding of local flora and climate-appropriate planting.

Our Horticulture Assets Manager, Helen Tuton recently sat down with ABC News to share expert advice on how you can successfully replace your traditional lawn with a thriving native garden.

Transitioning to native plants is a highly effective way to support local biodiversity, significantly reduce your water usage, and create a peaceful sanctuary in your own backyard. In this detailed article, you will find practical steps to help you safely remove existing grass, select the right native species for your soil, and establish a garden that flourishes year-round.

Read the full article to learn how you can bring a touch of native beauty to your home at https://ab.co/4adVecc

09/06/2026

Temporary access changes at our College Crescent entrance.

If you are planning to visit Melbourne General Cemetery early next week, please be advised of a temporary change to our main entry gates.

From Monday, 15 June to Wednesday, 17 June 2026, urgent repair works will be taking place at the Entrance Bus Shelter on College Crescent.

To ensure the safety of our visitors and our team, vehicles entering and exiting the cemetery will temporarily share a single access point. Professional traffic controllers will be on-site during all opening hours to safely guide you through the gates and minimise any delays.

The cemetery grounds remain fully open for visitation as usual.

We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding while we complete these essential repairs.

If you have any questions or concerns ahead of your visit, please contact our Customer Support team on 1300 466 904 or email [email protected].

05/06/2026

Cemeteries aren’t often the first place people think of when it comes to environmental action. 🌿 This , we’re showing what’s possible when we rethink their role.

Across more than 370 hectares, our 11 cemeteries and memorial parks are more than places of remembrance. Here are some of the ways we’re making progress, from reducing emissions and shifting to renewable energy, to strengthening biodiversity and increasing our recycled waste stream.

Together, these efforts show what environmental stewardship looks like in practice. 🌏

👉 Read our latest article to explore the work in more detail: https://smct.org.au/sustainability

04/06/2026

A gentle reminder to secure today’s rates before 30 June

We know that thinking about the future can be difficult, but taking the step to plan ahead is one of the most practical and thoughtful gifts you can leave for your family.

If you have been considering pre-planning a memorial space or arrangement at one of our sites, we want to let you know that our current prices are locked in until 30 June 2026.

From 1 July 2026, a government-regulated price update of 3.1% will take effect across all Victorian cemetery trusts in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

By completing your pre-planning arrangements this month, you can finalise your choices at our lower rates. More importantly, pre-planning locks in the cost of your selected products and services forever, completely protecting your family from any future cost increases.

Whether you are looking at arrangements for yourself or a loved one, our team is available to help you navigate these updates and understand exactly what they mean for you.

Our Sales and Contact Centre teams are here to guide you with care and clarity at every step of the way. Book an obligation-free appointment with us today to discuss your plans.

Visit https://www.smct.org.au/news/2026-planned-price-updates for more information.

27/05/2026

🖤💛❤️ Through Project Cultivate, we continue to explore and learn about caring for Country.
In consultation with Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Corporation, we recently shared interpretive signage featuring the Wurundjeri Seven Seasons, where we are now in Waring season. Now that our initial grasslands sections have been cut back, the green shoots that are one of the environmental indicators of Waring season have been popping through. We’re enjoying those misty mornings and hearing the Currawongs call out through the day.

Working together, we have a greater appreciation and understanding of the land, the plants and the changing of the seasons. We acknowledge and thank the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of this land also known as Melbourne General Cemetery, and are privileged to share the honour of caring for this beautiful space.

21/05/2026

Calling all green thumbs! 🌱🌸
Come help us add native wildflower colour this Saturday 23 May. This might be our last sunny planting day at MGC for a while, so get your gloves on and get planting! 💚

We meet from 10am at the rotunda near the Macpherson Street entrance. to Melbourne General Cemetery. BYO hat, closed toe shoes and keen planting hands. No experience necessary. Be part of this all-ages event planting in our award-winning native grasslands.

For details and to register, visit https://engagewith.smct.org.au/cultivate-planting-days

Address

College Crescent
Carlton North, VIC
3054

Telephone

(03) 9349 3014

Website

https://www.smct.org.au/locations/melbourne-general-cemetery

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