Have your say on the Karrakatta Cemetery redevelopment plans! Submissions close at 4:30pm on Monday, 26 October 2026.

Have family buried in the Anglican FA, Anglican IA or General AA sections? This form is mainly for members of the public who don’t have family in these sections. If you do, please read this first, as there are more effective steps you can take to protect their grave. Not sure? Check our list of known graves and burials in these sections (PDF).

Add your voice in about a minute. Enter your name and email below, and our straightforward submission will be sent to the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (MCB) in your name, with a copy to Minister Hannah Beazley. If you can, click the “Click here to read or edit submission” button and add a sentence or two of your own, such as who in your family is buried at Karrakatta, or why the cemetery matters to you. Personal submissions carry the most weight.

Karrakatta Redevelopment Submission Form

Attention: Ms Kathlene Oliver; Minister the Hon Hannah Beazley MLA

Dear Ms Oliver and Minister Beazley

I am writing in response to the notice the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (MCB) published in The West Australian on 1 August 2026 concerning the proposed redevelopment of the Anglican FA, Anglican IA and General AA sections of Karrakatta Cemetery. I make this formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act 1986 (WA) (Cemeteries Act).

My objection

I totally object to the proposed redevelopment of these sections and ask that every existing grave be retained in situ and left entirely undisturbed. No headstone, grave surround, plot number or other memorial in these sections should be removed, relocated, altered or destroyed, and no new graves should be created between or around existing graves.

Why I object

Karrakatta Cemetery is an integral part of Western Australia’s social, family and cultural history. Graves and their memorials provide a physical connection between generations and allow families to find, recognise, remember and honour their loved ones.

Removing or relocating memorials breaks that connection. A photograph, replacement plaque or relocated headstone cannot replace an original memorial standing at the true site of the grave. Every person buried at Karrakatta forms part of Western Australia’s history, whether or not they were prominent and whether or not the MCB has identified their grave as having particular historical significance.

I do not believe there is a genuine need or demand for new graves at Karrakatta; in my view, any such demand has been manufactured. Nothing justifies the permanent loss or alteration of existing graves and memorials to create them. Perth’s long-term burial needs should be met by the other metropolitan cemeteries and future cemetery sites, rather than by continuing to redevelop sections of Karrakatta.

What I request

Section 37(1) of the Cemeteries Act requires the MCB to give careful consideration to every submission it receives, including this one. I ask that the MCB:

(a) Not proceed with the proposed redevelopment of the Anglican FA, Anglican IA and General AA sections, nor redevelop any other part of Karrakatta Cemetery, or any other cemetery under its control, now or in the future; and

(b) Retain all existing graves, memorials, grave surrounds and plot numbers in situ and not create any new graves between or around them.

Minister Beazley, I have sent this submission to you directly as well. I ask that the MCB also formally forward it to you with the proposed redevelopment scheme, as section 37(4) of the Cemeteries Act requires, and that I be advised of the outcome before any redevelopment work begins. I also take this opportunity to formally request that you exercise your power under section 37(4)(c) of the Cemeteries Act to reject any redevelopment plans submitted to you by the MCB, and that you not approve plans to redevelop any cemetery in Western Australia, now or in the future.

To assist me in making this submission, I have authorised Saving Family Headstones at Karrakatta (SFH@K) to send it to you on my behalf. However, I make this submission in my own personal capacity, as a concerned member of the public, and it should not be taken as being made for or on behalf of SFH@K. Please direct all correspondence about this submission to me personally and exclusively, at the email address below.

I reserve the right to engage in further correspondence with respect to this submission.

Thank you for your careful consideration of my submission. I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

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BCC yourself

Your submission is sent in your name to the MCB, with a copy to Minister Beazley, and it asks the MCB to reply to you personally. We cannot see the written content of what you submit, but we can see your name, email address and IP address. Although we have implemented measures to help prevent bots and spam, this information is still necessary to identify any misuse. We appreciate your understanding. Rest assured, we will not share this information with anyone except the MCB or Minister Beazley, who must sign off on the plans.

This form only allows one submission per email address. We understand that some people may want to change or add information to their first submission; to do so, you will need to contact the MCB directly by email to mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au. You are also free to contact the MCB at any time before submissions close to discuss your submission; it doesn’t have to be a one-off.

Have more to say? Write your own submission and send it from your own email.

Have family buried in these sections? Act now

The form above and the templates on this page are mainly intended for members of the public who don’t have family buried in the Anglican FA, Anglican IA or General AA sections. If you do, they may still help, but they probably aren’t your best option. Instead, please take these steps as soon as possible.

Not sure if your family is buried in these sections?

Check our list of known graves and burials in these sections (PDF). Graves that are not affected are highlighted in green. If you recognise your loved ones, we encourage you to contact the MCB, even if their grave is highlighted green and appears to be retained. You can also search the MCB’s Name Search database.

You must act now. Here’s what to do:

Contact the MCB urgently and ask about your family’s grave, including whether or not it is going to be redeveloped. Email mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au. Include details of the people buried there, such as their names and dates of death, and the area or denomination, section and grave number, if you know them.
If the grave is affected, the most secure way to protect it is to renew the grant of right of burial (essentially a lease). A renewal lasts 25 years and currently costs $2,748.00, and it ensures the grave is left completely untouched for the duration of the grant. Grants in these sections can be renewed until submissions close at 4:30pm on Monday, 26 October 2026.
If you can’t afford the renewal, or would prefer not to pay it, make a submission asking for the grave to be retained. Make a personal case: tell the MCB why your family grave is important to you and why you want it to be saved.

Veterans’ graves

The MCB recently changed its policy on Australian veterans’ graves. All Australian veterans’ graves will now be retained. If you know of a veteran buried in any of these sections, we encourage you to inform the MCB at mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au and also let us know at mail@savingkarrakatta.com.

What to include in a submission about your family grave

For a submission about a particular grave, we encourage you to include the kind of information the MCB’s guidelines ask for:

The grave’s location: Area or denomination, section and grave number (e.g. Anglican FA 0123), and the grant number, grantee and expiry date if you know them.
Who is buried there: Their names and dates of death.
Your contact details: Your full name, email address and phone number (and postal address, if you wish). You can also nominate other family members as additional contacts.
Why the grave matters: For example, their place of birth, occupation, when and how they came to Western Australia, any titles, honours or awards, their contributions to the community or to pioneering Western Australia and any military service.
Supporting documents: Such as photographs or records (send copies only).

You can use our templates or letter builder to help, but your own personal wording is best. As with any submission, make sure it states that it is a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act 1986 (WA). If you’d like help, email us at mail@savingkarrakatta.com and we’ll be glad to assist.

What’s happening?

On 1 August 2026, the MCB published a final notice in The West Australian confirming that redevelopment will proceed in the Anglican FA, Anglican IA and General AA sections of Karrakatta Cemetery. The MCB “anticipates” that works will begin in November 2026.

The MCB calls this “Cemetery Renewal”, but it is not beautification. It is the mass removal of headstones, grave surrounds and plot numbers to make way for new graves, gardens and mausoleums. Headstones are moved elsewhere in the cemetery, made into garden ornaments, drilled into walls or, in some cases, destroyed, and new graves are dug between the existing ones. Since the early 2000s, nearly all new graves at Karrakatta have been dug inside existing graves.

This is an ongoing program. To date, 48 sections have been redeveloped, with at least 29 more slated to be reclaimed in the future. However, according to a credible source, as many as 204 burial sections COULD ultimately be redeveloped — representing more than 75% of all original burial sections at Karrakatta.

If you have loved ones buried at Karrakatta, it’s possible that their graves will be affected in the future, or have already been affected. More information is available on our “Affected Areas” page.

More detailed information about the redevelopment plans, including what the program involves, is available on our “Latest Plans” page. We encourage you to read it first to gain a fuller understanding of the process before making a submission.

How to have your say

Written submissions are open until 4:30pm on Monday, 26 October 2026. Under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act 1986 (WA) (Cemeteries Act), anyone can make a submission (you don’t need family buried there), and the MCB must give careful consideration to every submission it receives.

If you write your own submission, make sure it states that it is a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act.

Inspecting the plans

Although it isn’t well publicised, plans of the redevelopment are available for inspection by appointment at the Karrakatta office. If it’s more convenient, you can also arrange to inspect them at the MCB’s Fremantle, Pinnaroo or Rockingham offices. To arrange an appointment, email the MCB at mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au or call the office on 1300 793 109.

If you’d like to see the plans first, you can wait until after your inspection to make your submission. Alternatively, you can make an initial submission now and a more detailed one after your inspection. Either way, please act quickly: submissions close at 4:30pm on Monday, 26 October 2026, so arrange your appointment as soon as possible.

About the MCB’s guidelines

The MCB has published its own guidelines for making submissions, and its notice says submissions must relate to “individual graves”. You’re welcome to follow the guidelines or use them as a reference, and you’re welcome to make submissions about individual graves if you wish. But you are not obliged to. You can comment on the redevelopment as a whole, or on any part of the plans whatsoever.

Nor do your submissions need to relate to your own family. Any person can make a submission about any part of the redevelopment, including about individual people buried in the cemetery, even if you aren’t related to them. This is a very broad right, and one the MCB must uphold.

Section 37(1) of the Cemeteries Act states that “[a] Board shall give careful consideration to every submission received by the Board with respect to a proposed redevelopment scheme”. Nothing in the Cemeteries Act requires submissions to follow the MCB’s guidelines or to be limited to individual graves. In our view, the MCB’s attempts to impose these restrictions are unlawful.

If the MCB tells you it has disregarded your submission because it doesn’t follow its guidelines, because it doesn’t name a particular grave, or because it doesn’t contain any “new information” (or information the MCB doesn’t “already know”), please let us know at mail@savingkarrakatta.com. There is no legal basis for disregarding a submission on any of these grounds. It would be clear evidence that the MCB is not following the law and could leave it open to challenge.

Why we’ve created this page

We believe the MCB deliberately makes it inconvenient for members of the public to have their say. There is virtually no public outreach and no practical assistance. There isn’t even an online form or survey for making a submission, even though the MCB provides these for its other, mostly uncontroversial, initiatives.

When one of our members recently asked the MCB for help in making a submission, a staff member refused, claiming they “were not allowed” to help people, and suggested instead that the person “get your kids to do it”. For the most part, the whole process is left to individuals alone, without any practical assistance.

This matters. The MCB has previously justified redeveloping sections of Karrakatta on the basis that few submissions were received from the public. That is disingenuous: most people have no idea about the plans, and those who do face a process made unnecessarily difficult. We want to change that, which is why we’ve created this page to make it as easy as possible for everyone to have their say.

Every submission counts, so please share this page with family and friends!

Want to say more? Write your own submission

Personal submissions are the most effective. Write it in your own words and send it from your own email, using one of the options below. If you’d like help writing your submission, you’re welcome to email us at mail@savingkarrakatta.com and we’ll be glad to assist.

Option 1Write it on your own device

Option 2Use our letter builder

Write your submission in your own words, in an email or in a Word or Pages document. It doesn’t need to be long or formal. A few honest paragraphs are enough. Try to include:

A clear statement that it is a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act. This is essential, as it ensures your submission is counted.
Who you are and any connection you have to Karrakatta (although you don’t need one).
The sections you are objecting to: Anglican FA, Anglican IA and General AA.
Your position, for example, that every grave should be retained in situ and left undisturbed, with no headstones removed and no new graves added between or around existing graves.
Why it matters to you, in your own words. Personal stories are the most powerful part of any submission.
What you ask, for example, that the MCB not proceed, that your submission be forwarded to Minister Beazley and that you be told the outcome.

Not sure where to start? Copy or download one of our templates (as a Word document, PDF or plain text), then add your own words and details in your email or writing program.

Simple template

A short, plain-English submission. Add your own story to make it yours.

Download:

Detailed template

A longer version that goes into much more detail than the simple submission and asks for the reasons behind each decision, grave by grave.

Download:

Tip: The best submission is one you write yourself, from scratch, in your own words. If you do use one of our templates, you might like to rephrase it in your own words before you send it, as this is often more effective. A submission that reads differently from the template means the MCB has to read it in full, rather than assume what it says. If you find that difficult, an AI tool such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot can help you rephrase it, although we don’t encourage relying on AI. Use our rephrasing prompt.

Using AI to help you write?

We generally advise against using AI tools to draft your submission. A submission written personally, in your own words, is always best. However, we recognise that writing isn’t everyone’s strong suit, and tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot can help some people express themselves more effectively.

To be clear, we are not encouraging you to use AI. The guidance below is offered only for those who would otherwise find it difficult to put their thoughts into words. If you can write your submission yourself, please do. If you’d rather have a person help you, email us at mail@savingkarrakatta.com and we’ll be glad to assist.

Below are two suggested prompts: one to help you write your own submission from scratch, and one to help you rephrase one of our templates.

Writing your own submission from scratch

The prompt below may help you get started. It is only a suggestion: change it however you like and include as much or as little as you wish. Whatever you write, make sure your final submission clearly states that it is a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act regarding the proposed redevelopment. Always read the result carefully before sending it. Only submit what you truly feel and understand. Make sure the AI hasn’t added facts, experiences or arguments (such as legal arguments) that aren’t your own. If you don’t understand or agree with anything the AI has written, don’t send it until you have changed or removed it.

Please help me write a personal submission to the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board (MCB) in Western Australia about its proposed redevelopment of the Anglican FA, Anglican IA and General AA sections of Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth. I will email it to the MCB’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Kathlene Oliver, at mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au. Submissions close at 4:30pm on Monday, 26 October 2026. It is essential that the submission clearly states, near the start, that it is a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act 1986 (WA) regarding the proposed redevelopment. Please also suggest a subject line that says the same. Please base the submission only on what I tell you below and help me express it in my own voice. Do not make up any facts or experiences and do not add any arguments (including legal arguments) that I have not raised myself. I only want to say what I truly feel and understand. [Write here: Anything you’d like to say, e.g. who you are, any connection you have to Karrakatta and what you think about the redevelopment]

Rephrasing one of our templates

If you’d prefer to start from one of our templates, you can ask an AI tool to rephrase it so it reads in your own words, which also means the MCB has to read it in full. Copy the prompt below, then either paste the template text (and any changes of your own) where shown, or attach the template you downloaded (Word, PDF or Text) to your message. As always, read the result carefully and make sure it still says only what you mean. If you don’t understand or agree with anything in it, don’t send it until you have changed or removed it.

Please rephrase the submission below (or attached) so that it reads as my own. The rephrased version should be substantively the same, keeping the same meaning and points, but worded differently enough that it does not come across as a copy of a template that others may also have sent. You may also reorder or reorganise the points and paragraphs to help with this, as long as the substance stays the same. It must remain a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act 1986 (WA) regarding the proposed redevelopment, and that statement must stay near the start. Do not add any new facts, experiences or arguments (including legal arguments) unless I explicitly give them to you. [Paste the template here, or attach the downloaded template (Word, PDF or Text) to your message] I would also like to include the following details: [Optional: Add anything else you’d like included, e.g. your own story or your connection to Karrakatta]

Remember: This is YOUR submission!

How to send your submission to the MCB

Address it to Ms Kathlene Oliver, Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, and state clearly that it is a formal submission under section 37 of the Cemeteries Act. This ensures it is counted.
Sign off with your full name and email address, so the MCB can reply to you. Including your postal address is optional.
Email it to Copy
If you wrote it in a document, attach it (a PDF is best) or paste the text into the body of the email.
Use a clear subject line, such as:
Copy
Optional: You can also address your submission to the Hon Hannah Beazley MLA, Minister for Local Government; Disability Services; Veterans; Volunteering; Youth; Gascoyne, at minister.beazley@dpc.wa.gov.auCopy
Send it before submissions close and keep a copy of your sent email for your records.

Prefer some help? Try Option 2: our letter builder, which can prepare either our simple or detailed submission with your own words and details.

Private: Everything you type here stays on your own device. SFH@K cannot see it, and nothing is sent anywhere unless you send it yourself in your own email program or app.

Which version would you like to send?

Simple submissionChoose the points you want to make and add your own words. Detailed submissionGoes into much more detail than the simple version. Your own words are added to it.

1About you
2Your story
3Key points
4Review & send

Your details go at the end of your letter so the MCB can reply to you.

First name *

Last name *

Email *

Postal address (optional)

Your connection to Karrakatta Tick any that apply. You don’t need a personal connection to make a submission.

I have loved ones buried at Karrakatta Including in the Anglican FA, Anglican IA or General AA sections I care about Western Australia’s history and heritage I’m a concerned member of the public

Who is buried there? (optional)Write it as a sentence. It will appear in your letter exactly as you type it.

My submission applies to every grave in these sectionsRecommended. Untick this to limit your submission to the graves you list below.

Grave numbers (optional)If you’d like to mention any graves in particular, list them here. Your submission still covers every grave in all three sections.

Tips for an effective submission

Use your own words. Personal stories are the hardest to dismiss and the most likely to get an individual reply.
Keep a copy. Your sent email is your record if you need to follow up, or if the MCB claims it never received your submission.
Be firm, but courteous. We know this is a very emotional topic, but a polite, respectful tone is always more effective and keeps the focus on the issues.
Share this page with family and friends so more voices are heard.

Privacy: Our letter builder and the detailed submission form work entirely on your own device. SFH@K cannot see anything you type into them and nothing is sent to us. Your draft is saved only in your own browser, so you can come back to it later, and Clear and start again deletes it. If you use our quick form instead, our website administrators can see your name, email address and IP address, but not what you write.

Lodge your contact details for family graves

Whether or not your family’s graves are affected by the current redevelopment, we strongly encourage you to lodge your contact details with the MCB for every family grave. The MCB manages all of Perth’s public cemeteries: Karrakatta, Fremantle, Pinnaroo, Guildford, Midland and Rockingham. Email your name, email address and phone number (and your postal address, if you wish), together with the details of each grave (the name of the person buried, the cemetery, and the section and grave number, if you know them), to mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au. Please send your contact details in a separate email, not as part of your submission, to make sure they are not overlooked or disregarded.

Although the redevelopment program is currently only happening at Karrakatta, it could happen at any cemetery across Western Australia. All graves, regardless of the cemetery — including cremation memorials and mausoleum crypts — are leased for 25 years. Most graves used to be sold with either a 50-year, 99-year or perpetual (“forever”) grant. However, in 1986, the law was changed to limit all grants to just 25 years. In 2012, all grants purchased before 1987 were cancelled. For more information, see our “Grave Leases in Western Australia: 25-year Term Limits” page.

Apply pressure to Minister Hannah Beazley

The buck stops with Minister Hannah Beazley. Section 37(4)(c) of the Cemeteries Act explicitly gives her the power to “reject the redevelopment” and stop the MCB in its tracks.

Minister Beazley is responsible for approving the plans. The MCB is supposed to forward a copy of your submission to her, but it could easily be overlooked. If you use our quick form at the top of this page, a copy of your submission is sent to her automatically. Even so, we highly encourage you to also write to her separately, which could include essentially the same information as your submission to the MCB.

We urge you to write a formal complaint to Minister Beazley, demanding she exercise this power to protect our state’s history (click here for her contact details). We suggest marking it as urgent given the impending deadline, although you can write to a Minister or Member of Parliament at any time. We also recommend you:

Contact your local member of the WA Parliament
Contact the Premier, the Hon Roger Cook MLA
Contact the Minister for Heritage, the Hon Simone McGurk MLA
Contact other government Ministers

Join our fight!

In May 2017, Carolyn Trigwell founded our group, Saving Family Headstones at Karrakatta (SFH@K). Nine years on, we now have more than 6,900 members and continue to mount an active campaign against the MCB. We invite all members of the community to:

Join our Facebook group
Follow our Facebook page

To get in touch with us, you can message us on Facebook or Find a Grave, or send an email to mail@savingkarrakatta.com.

Please keep in mind that we are unpaid volunteers dedicating our free time to this cause, and we are especially busy right now due to the impending redevelopment works. As a result, it might take us some time to get back to you. We appreciate your patience.

Karrakatta Cemetery Redevelopment Submissions