Sydney’s newest crematorium is also Australia’s most modern
facility and is located in a magnificent park setting.
BY CHERYL BAILEY

Having been to only one cremation service before (and quite a few years ago), I found my visit to Macquarie Park Crematorium far from intimidating and a real eye opener. Interestingly, I learned that some of Sydney’s leading funeral directors played a part in its design and many features.
“We invited funeral directors to give us their thoughts and share their experiences”, explains Ross Davis, CEO of Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium. “What we wanted to do was learn from them and find out what they’d like to see incorporated in a modern offering. We did this even before we briefed our architects Kann Finch. After all, who knows funerals and the needs of grieving families better than funeral directors?”
The result, I must say, is a state-ofthe- art crematorium and three chapels that truly are magnificent.
“Macquarie Park Cemetery has served the burial needs of our community since 1922”, says Mr Davis. “ The crematorium was built in direct response to the needs of the community where the choice of cremation in metropolitan areas like Sydney is now around sixty percent, with burial forty percent”.

Wonderfully equipped chapels ensure a service that’s special and memorable
On the day your Peace of Mind reporter visited Macquarie Park, there was a full police honours funeral taking place with over 400 mourners in attendance, an impressive sight to say the least.
I noted that each chapel has been cleverly incorporated into the overall design to afford the utmost privacy to each, giving a feeling that the service you’re attending is the only one occurring at that time.
Each of Macquarie Park’s three chapels boast a spacious porte cochere at the entrance, providing protection from the weather for hundreds of service attendees. Each chapel also features a private viewing and mourning lounge as well as an individual courtyard with gazebo so mourners can have privacy after the service.
The chapels can accommodate 250 or more people inside and out. Technology, too, plays an important role in today’s chapel services. Macquarie Park’s fully air-conditioned chapels embrace leading edge computer and audiovisual facilities, they feature a sophisticated sound system along with strategically positioned LCD screens to ensure everyone can see and hear the service. Those in wheelchairs, disabled persons and the elderly will appreciate the easy, level access throughout.
“We’re extremely proud of our production facilities”, says Ross Davis. “We are able to offer families a wide choice of options for funeral service memorials. We can record the complete service on video or webcast the whole proceedings so those unable to attend, regardless of where they are in the world, can log onto the web via their computer and see the service, both in real time and at later times. Families have also been very complimentary about the large main screen in each chapel for family presentations. Our lecterns are state of the art, too, with push-button technology that enables speakers to be in control of the presentation”.
It seems that nothing has been overlooked in ensuring this ultra-modern amenity meets all needs. For those with hearing aids, an induction loop has been installed in each chapel to help reception. Each chapel also has its own toilets and washrooms for women, men and disabled persons.

After-funeral catering is a well appreciated service
Macquarie Park’s function centre is easily accessed from all of the chapels. Here you’ll find numerous function rooms and areas well able to handle small groups of say ten, right up to 400. And the menus are more than reasonable. Naturally, the food service is provided by professional caterers with experience in working with the bereaved.

New Ashes Memorial Gardens
With the opening of the crematorium, Macquarie Park has created three outstanding memorial gardens offering a wide choice of options. I was introduced to a very friendly and professional Family Consultant who took me on a tour of all three gardens and happily answered all my questions.
Macquarie Park is positioned as ‘Sydney’s parkland cemetery’, and having visited and seen firsthand the rolling lawns and marvellous gardens, trees and birdlife (I even saw a delightful mother duck and her ducklings exploring the scenery) it is indeed a magnificent setting for a final resting place.