Cemeteries

There are four cemeteries operating in the district. They are located in:
Tokoroa - Dumfries Road, Tokoroa
Putāruru - State Highway 1, Putāruru
Putāruru - Domain Road, Putaruru
Tīrau - Corner of Okoroire Rd and Heatherington Rd, Tīrau

The cemeteries in Putāruru and Tirau are open to the public, seven days a week. The Tokoroa cemetery is locked at night, it is opened between 6am and 7am in the morning. It is generally locked at 9pm; if there are people in the cemetery at that time the security company returns at a later hour.

A handbook is available here and from the offices and provides general information and requirements for memorials, fees and charges, application forms and a detailed map of the cemeteries.

All of the district's cemeteries are well maintained and three of the sites have ample room for expansion. All plots may be reserved for future use, with the exception of the Returned Services sections. A fee is required for the benefit of pre-selecting a plot, with the full sexton fee to be paid at time of the first interment.

Traditional burial plots are available adjacent to permanent concrete berms, which have been provided for the placement of plaques or headstones. There is limited space on the berms for floral and other tributes to be placed. Items are permitted to be placed on grave areas to a maximum length of one metre from the concrete berm only. There is more on Cemetery Rules further down this page.

Ash plots provide a permanent resting place for cremated remains, where the concrete berms are in traditional rows, or surrounding attractively planted gardens. There is a space on the berms for plaques and floral tributes. Please note, only the Sexton is authorised to dig a hole for ash interments. Before any interring of ashes, an application for ash interment must be lodged with Council.

• For downloadable forms, see the Forms section of this website.
• For more information on Procedures for Disinterments access the Burial and Cremation Act 1964.
• For cemetery related applications online, see our Online Service Catalogue.

• An exclusive right of burial may be sold by the Council and may be held for eighty years. Council will not repurchase any presold plots without valid reason.
• Any person is entitled to purchase an exclusive right of burial for no more than two plots. Any relative of a person who has bought such right may purchase two adjacent plots only at the time of burial.
• Interments may take place between the hours of 10am and 3.30pm on Mondays to Sundays inclusive. Cemeteries are closed for all interments on public holidays.
• Following a burial service the grave will be left mounded for 90 days. Adornments, including wreaths and floral tributes may be placed on the mounded plot during this period. After this time, all adornments must be duly placed in approved receptacles on the concrete berm to allow for grave levelling and turf reinstatement operations to be completed. Families may request Council to have the grave levelled before the 90 day period.
• Once the grave has been levelled and re-turfed, items are permitted to be placed on grave areas to a maximum length of one metre from the concrete berm only. Each individual item is to be no less than 50mm in size and be easily removed for cemetery operations where deemed necessary. No hard materials such as concrete, timber edging or pavers are permitted.
• Adornments must not inhibit the proper maintenance of the Cemetery or other graves.
• Breakable jars, vases or receptacles must not be used as flower containers.
• Private seating is allowed, but must:
• be of sound construction,
• not be fixed to the ground,
• not exceed the width to accommodate up to two persons only, and
• be light enough to be moved by one person.
• No person may plant any tree, shrub, plant or other vegetation in any Cemetery.
• No person shall take a dog into a Cemetery unless it is a certified disability assist dog under the Dog Control Act 1996, which must remain restrained at all times.
• No person shall consume, bring or possess alcohol between the hours of 7.00pm and 8.00am within any Cemetery.

For more information please refer to the Cemetery Bylaw.