What's New >> Media Releases

14 October 2008: MCB Annual Report Released

The annual report for the year ended 30 June 2008 has now been released and can be downloaded from here.

19 May 2008: Fremantle Cemetery Heritage Trail Tours

With headstones dating back as far as 1832, Fremantle Cemetery is a treasure trove of history and heritage. The Historical Walk Trail features the graves of 34 notable ‘residents’, from AC/DC’s Bon Scott to CY O’Connor to ‘Moondyne Joe’.

Inscriptions on headstones and monuments tell many stories about the people whose lives have shaped the history of Fremantle and our state. The tours planned by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board for the Fremantle Heritage Festival week, offer a fantastic opportunity for participants to take part in an engaging and informative fun guided tour.

Dates: Sunday 25 May at 3pm, Saturday 31 May at 10.30am & Sunday 1 June at 10.30am.

Everyone wanting to take part is asked to congregate near the waiting house at the main entry to Fremantle Cemetery.

Participation in the tours is FREE!

15 November 2007: Increase in vehicle burglaries at Perth Cemeteries

Over the past months, cemeteries across the metropolitan area, in particular those at Pinnaroo, Karrakatta and Fremantle, have experienced an increase in vehicle break-ins and the theft of personal belongings in what can be best described as ‘opportunistic’ break-ins.

It appears that offenders see those attending to the graves of their loved ones as ‘soft’ targets and appear to be actively monitoring the movement of visitors before breaking into vehicles to steal handbags and other personal effects.

The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board is working closely with local police and Local Government authorities in an attempt to both reduce the increasing incidence of burglaries, but also to apprehend those responsible.

The assistance of the public is sought in bringing about a reduction in these incidents by not leaving any valuables in vehicles parked outside or inside the cemetery confines.

Members of the public are urged to carry their personal effects rather than leave them locked in their vehicles and in clear view of passers by. Further, the public are asked to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activities or vehicles to the relevant MCB offices in person or via telephone on 1300 793 109.

Any loss of property should be reported immediately to police on 131 444.

Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (MCB) Client Relations Consultant, Chris Mabbott, made the following comments. “Regular Police patrols are currently being employed across all sites in an effort to catch the offenders”. He continued. “The perpetrators of these crimes are truly callous and appear to show no regard for their victims who have already been traumatised by the loss of their loved ones. The perpetrators should be ashamed of themselves”.

All employees, particularly ground staff, have been asked to be vigilant and to record registration numbers and the details of vehicles and their occupants in an effort to assist Police investigations.

12 September 2007: Rockingham Regional Memorial Park Officially Opened

Local Government Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich opened the Rockingham Regional Memorial Park (RRMP), a new cemetery designed to cater for the existing and rapidly growing population of the south west corridor, at a public ceremony on 12 September 2007.

Left to right: City of Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels JP; Hon. Ljiljanna Ravlich MLC, Minister for Local Government and Peter MacLean AM PSM JP, Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Cemeteries Board.

The new park, comprising 60 hectares and located on Millar and Baldivis Roads in Baldivis, was vested in the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (MCB) when the board was first established in 1988.

“The cemetery will commence operation with a selection of memorial options, including niche walls, memorial seats, memorial rocks and garden plaques.” Minister Ravlich said.

“The range of options will increase as demand increases or as the community expresses a desire for different forms of memorialisation.”

The Minister said the site will cater for the continued community demand for burial land.

General lawn burial sections with headstones aligned on a beam will be the predominant monumental style and it is one that has proven popular at the East Rockingham Cemetery in recent years.

To provide shelter from the elements and a venue for outdoor services, the new park features one shade gazebo and one large gazebo.

The large gazebo has been designed to operate as an outdoor chapel. The need for further facilities at the new cemetery will be assessed as usage increases.

To coincide with the opening of the new cemetery, the existing East Rockingham Cemetery which is nearing capacity, will be renamed East Rockingham Pioneer Cemetery to denote the historic significance of the site.

New guidelines will be introduced for those families that wish to memorialise or bury at the cemetery.

Minister Ravlich said the MCB had liaised closely with the City of Rockingham to ensure that the finished park is able to meet community expectations.

“While the City of Rockingham will continue to be responsible for maintenance and preservation of the pioneer cemetery, the MCB will be responsible for undertaking burial services and memorial placements,” the Minister said.