Castle Hill Cemetery

An Interment right is a contract between the cemetery operator (Council) and a right holder for a licence to use a specific location in the cemetery. This authorises the right holder/s to elect whose remains (coffin or ashes) can be interred exclusively in that specific location of the cemetery.

Interment rights can be either renewable or perpetual.

A perpetual interment right allows for a person's remains to be left in place forever. All interment rights issued by The Hills Shire Council are perpetual, however Council may revoke an interment right if it is not exercised within 50 years of it being granted (i.e. if no burial occurs within 50 years of purchase).

Perpetual Interment rights are available for immediate use or for reservation for future use.

An application fee is applicable with each interment.

A person or company can be an interment right holder for up to two (2) plots and each plot can have up to 2 interment right holders as joint holders.

Please note – some burial plots can be double depth (meaning two (2) bodies can be buried in the one (1) plot) and some plots can also have ash interments placed.

Please contact our Cemeteries Team on 02 8848 6724 to discuss what options are best for you.

Once the best option is identified, you will be provided with an application form to complete to obtain the interment right.

An email confirming receipt and confirmation of your application will be issued upon lodgement.

Payment can be made at Council's Customer Service Centre, 3 Columbia Court Norwest 2153 (please note: cash and cheques are no longer accepted at our customer services centres).

For further enquiries call The Hills Shire Council on 02 8848 6724.

Council may permit transfer to persons who are immediate family members of the existing Interment Right Holder on receipt of an appropriate application below:

Application to Update or Transfer a Perpetual Interment Right(PDF, 679KB)

Council may refuse to grant transfer of an Interment Right if, in the Council’s opinion, the transfer would create a monopoly or encourage in dealing in Interment Rights for financial gain.

The holder of an Interment Right cannot on sell that right to third parties nor on-sell any site. Unused sites can be sold back to Council at the original purchase price or 50% of the equivalent fee in the adopted current fees & charges, whichever is the greater amount.

Please contact our Cemeteries Team on 02 8848 6724 to discuss buy back options.

A funeral home will need to collect and look after the body prior to interment at the cemetery or until cremation.

Council does not recommend funeral homes, organise funerals, perform the digging of graves, or the actual burial.

For a burial, the funeral director will liaise with Council to arrange for the interments – including confirming the location, booking the time, organise the grave digging and backfilling, and makes payment for any necessary fees.

For cremated remains, families or funeral homes can liaise with Council. Please contact our Cemeteries Team on 02 8848 6724 or cemeteries@thehills.nsw.gov.au to confirm the location and arrange a mutually convenient time.

Council will only supply granite plaques for the memorial wall and columbarium wall.

Lawn sites have a mandatory sloper supplied by Council and any plaques must have the design approved by Council prior to placement.

Separate payment is required for inscriptions and installation.

Applications to erect a headstone or memorial should be submitted with the assistance of your chosen stonemason. Applications can only be authorised by the Interment Right holder/s or their appointed representative (evidence required).

All memorials / monuments must be constructed in accordance with Australian Standard AS:4204-2019 and all works must be conducted by a licenced stonemason. Council does not recommend any stonemasons.

Once you have settled on a stonemason and an appropriate design, please submit the following form for Council to assess:

Application for a Permit to Erect a Monument(PDF, 552KB)

No works are to occur without written approval from Council.

All contractors must be inducted onto site by Council, Council will conduct a series of inspections during construction.

Works cannot occur whilst burial services are happening within the cemetery.

Please contact our Cemeteries Team on 02 8848 6724 at least 48 hours prior to commencement of work to arrange site access.