LEGACY PLOT RESERVATION MANAGEMENT POLICY · Report

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                                   9 JUNE 2026


REPORT
This report seeks Council's approval to adopt a Legacy Plot Reservation Management Policy ("the
Policy") to guide the review and potential reclaiming of reserved cemetery burial and ashes interment
plots where reservations remain unused for 25 years or more.

1. Background

Tewantin, Cooroy and Pomona Cemeteries are long-standing community assets that provide
essential burial, cremation and memorial services to the Noosa Shire. Over many decades, burial
and ash interment plots have been reserved and allocated under arrangements that effectively
granted perpetual tenure, as there was no requirement to use the reserved allocation within a defined
timeframe.

A review of cemetery records has identified approximately 225 unused and reserved burial plots
across all three cemeteries: 113 at Tewantin, 52 at Cooroy and 60 at Pomona Cemetery. At the
same time, Tewantin Cemetery has reached capacity for new traditional burial plots, and
opportunities for expansion are limited. While Cooroy and Pomona Cemeteries currently retain
available capacity, there is a need to ensure consistent and proactive management across all sites
to avoid future constraints.

Reasons why reserved plots are not ultimately used for burial vary. In some cases, the original plot
holder has passed away and been buried outside the Noosa Shire or has chosen cremation instead.
In other instances, the individual has been interred in an existing family grave or ash interment site,
either due to lack of awareness of a previously reserved plot or because utilising an existing site was
more cost-effective. As a result, these reserved but unused plots remain unavailable for reallocation
and cannot be used to meet current community demand.

2. Review Process and Policy


Council is seeking to implement a process to review and, where appropriate, reclaim reserved plots
that have remained unused for 25 years or more and return the interment rights that applied to these
reservations to Council. While the process is initially aimed at reviewing burial plot reservations, it
will be applicable to ashes interment plot reservations as well to manage these in an equitable
manner going forward.

To ensure fair, transparent and equitable management, the process will be governed by a formal
Legacy Plot Reservation Management Policy (as at Attachment 1) and detailed supporting
procedures. This enables a structured, transparent and consistent approach to the identification,
review, and where appropriate, the administrative return of interment rights to Council.

The proposed approach involves identifying eligible unused and reserved plots and undertaking
reasonable, documented efforts to contact registered plot reservation holders or identifiable lawful
decision makers using available records. Where direct contact cannot be established, broader
notification methods such as public notices will be used to ensure that any potential claimants are
given a reasonable opportunity to come forward. A response period of 90 days will be provided to
allow plot holders or families to confirm their intention to retain interment rights.

Where no response or claim is received within 90 days, unused plots may be returned to Council
control for future allocation. This initiative will support improved utilisation of existing cemetery land,
assist in addressing immediate capacity issues at Tewantin Cemetery, and contribute to more