Our cemeteries are open to the public 7 days a week, 365 days a year from dawn to dusk (approx. 6am to 6pm).  Cemetery Sexton operating hours are between 7am and 3.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) and Administration Cemetery Office operation hours are between 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Council holds limited information about historical or pioneer graves and the locations of these grave sites in the Port Douglas Cemetery.  Many original graves were, and remain, unmarked, which is why the Northern and Central Sections of the cemetery are closed for new burials unless a reservation already exists.  Council has an ongoing project which endeavours to use historical information to determine where some graves are located, or at least to confirm the names of pioneers that are buried in the Port Douglas Cemetery.  If you have genealogical information that you believe may assist Council with this project, cemetery officers would be happy to hear from you.

The two cemeteries have completely different soil profiles and amounts of rainfall.  Port Douglas Cemetery sits on sand where water runoff and absorption is rapid, but the high water table means at certain times of the year the western side of the cemetery is quite wet.  In addition, year round rainfall at Mossman is much higher than at Port Douglas which greatly assists in keeping the cemetery there green.  The hills around Mossman attract clouds that usually pass over Port Douglas without precipitating.  Irrigation is not installed over lawn areas in the cemeteries.

Council provides a temporary shelter over the gravesite, chairs, lowering machine and lectern.  Your funeral director can organise a celebrant and other religious services.

If you have lost a loved one, arrangements through a funeral director will need to be organised.  Discuss with them how soon you wish the service to take place, whom you wish to officiate at the service, the type of service and burial option you wish to have.  Your funeral director will make these arrangements on your behalf and will liaise directly with Council Cemetery Staff regarding the burial arrangements.  You do not need to contact council.

A funeral director makes arrangements with Council cemetery staff to use a new grave site, arrange subsequent burials in an existing grave and to reserve plots.  Council keeps records of the site number, name of deceased, age of deceased etc. Council cemetery attendants prepares the grave for burial and arrange for facilities to be available at the funeral service such as grave lowering machine, shelter, lectern, chairs etc. Council approves headstones/monuments/plaques for consistency purposes.

After a cremation takes place, Council can assist families who wish to arrange a final resting place of their loved one’s ashes in one of our Cemeteries. Council offers a variety of options for ashes and interments can be arranged either directly with Council or through your chosen funeral director who will directly liaise with Council on your behalf.

Ashes can be interred into the brick Columbarium walls at the Mossman Cemetery, in an existing grave, a new gravesite or the memorial garden.  There is also the option of ashes being placed in a sealed cavity within a headstone which is prepared by a monumental mason.  Please note there are two Columbarium walls in the Mossman Cemetery, one of which is not Council operated being the southern facing wall.  If you prefer a niche in this private wall, please contact Council for further details.

If wishing to inter ashes into Council’s Columbarium Wall, this option includes the manufacturing and affixing of a memorial bronze plaque.  Our application form for this option includes a section to include your chosen wording for the plaque.  Both Columbarium walls have single and double niches and can be purchased either at the time of interment, or pre-purchased and reserve for a future interment.  They can also be purchased as a memorial only with a plaque installed.

For consistency reasons, the bronze plaque order form forms part of the application process and is included in the inurnment fees.  Plaques are currently manufactured by Worssell and Company https://www.worrsell.com.au.

All plots have the provision for up to six ashes and two burials.  Should you wish to have your loved ones’ ashes interred into a new or existing plot, you will need to complete a cemetery application form and lodge with council along with the prescribed fee. Alternatively, you may wish to seek the services of a funeral director who can arrange this with Council on your behalf.

If you are arranging ashes to be interred into an existing plot, the application must be signed by either the Right of Burial Holder or by an authorised family representative.

If lodging your application directly with Council, please lodge with your payment in person at any of our customer service counter in our Mossman Office or Port Douglas Hub Counter.  Alternatively, you can send your application in via email to enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au and Council will contact you to arrange payment.  Please note, no arrangements will be made until payment has been received.

Council provides a temporary shelter over the gravesite, chairs, lowering machine and lectern.  Your funeral director can organise a celebrant and other religious services.

Whilst Council staff endeavour to maintain the cemeteries to the highest possible standards, the families are responsible for repairs to tiles and granite cracks from wear and tear over time.

Council has a detailed policy regarding the placement of tributes or adornments on graves which is designed to ensure the general public can visit the cemeteries and enjoy a safe, tidy and well-maintained environment for peaceful reflection. The Adornment of Graves General Policy is available, here. Note that the sections within each cemetery (ie Monumental, Lawn Plaque etc) have different specifications for placement of adornments and installation of monuments.

Council provides plastic vases (with a ground spike) for a small bouquet for some sections of the cemeteries.  Items not permitted are removed by Cemetery Staff on a regular basis and will be kept on site for a short period of time for collection. We encourage families to collect any items of significance or value before being disposed of.

For bronze plaque memorials on the columbarium wall there is the option to purchase a small vase.  This is a small vase that is attached to the wall beside your niche to hold flowers.  These vases are narrow but are able to hold one thick stemmed flower or a small bouquet of flowers.

No, these can affect the integrity of the gravesite and other surrounding gravesites.  This can also impede on cemetery grounds maintenance.

Council has a detailed policy regarding the placement of tributes or adornments on graves which is designed to ensure the general public can visit the cemeteries and enjoy a safe, tidy and well-maintained environment for peaceful reflection.  If there are adornments that are not permitted these will be removed by Cemetery Staff on a regular basis and then kept on site for a short period of time for collection (approximately 2-3 months).  We encourage families to collect any items of significance or value before being disposed of.  To arrange a suitable for collection, please contact Council on 07) 4099 9444.

Although minor repairs and cleaning are exempt from fees, you will still need to notify Council of your preferred time and date to ensure it does not conflict with burial or other ceremonial services.

Temporary monuments i.e. simple wooden cross may be permitted in certain sections and we request that you contact Council in the first instance on 07) 4099 9444.

To find the location of grave sites, please contact council on 07 4099 9444 or email enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au.

Council will be releasing an interactive mapping system very soon!  Watch this space.

The Queensland Government offers financial burial assistance for eligible persons.  Please note that there are limitations that apply to the assistance Scheme and it is important to fully understand what they are.  Please visit their website for further information https://www.coronerscourt.qld.gov.au/for-families/funeral-assistance-scheme.

Headstones/Monument bases

Council does not supply or install headstones or monuments.  Should you wish to have a headstone or monument installed on a gravesite, you can engage the services of a qualified stonemason.  Some funeral directors extend their services to assist with the engagement of a stonemason and can apply to Council on your behalf.  To authorise the installation, you must be the burial rights holder or have the express permission of the burial rights holder if one had been nominated at the time of burial/inurnment.

Plaques

Council does not supply plaques (except on the Columbarium Wall) however we do arrange to have them installed.  Please refer to the “CM-09 – Application for Cemetery Installation and On-Site Works Plaque Only” form which details the maximum plaque dimensions permitted in each section of the cemetery.

This depends on what section of the cemetery the gravesite is located.

o   Port Douglas and Mossman Cemetery – Memorial Gardens and Beam areas – This can be arranged as soon as a funeral/burial has taken place.

o   Mossman Cemetery – Columbarium Wall Niches – This forms part of the application process of when ashes are interred which is arranged by Council.

o   Port Douglas and Mossman Cemetery – Monumental full-lawned gravesites – If the burial has taken place 12 months and earlier, please contact Council in the first instance on 07) 4099 9444.

Yes. To find out if you can add to an existing site, please speak to your funeral director.

Yes. Please speak to a monumental mason to arrange manufacture and installation and notify Council of your intentions.

Maximum measurements are outlined in the application forms – CM04-Application for Cemetery installations & On-site works (headstones & vaults only) and CM-09 Application For Cemetery Installation And On-Site Works Plaque Only.

Yes.  Please complete the “CM02 – Application for Reservation of a Cemetery Site” and submit to enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au, over the counter or via post.  Once applied for and the fee paid, you will receive a Certificate of Reservation for safe keeping.

If you have lost your Certificate of Reservation please request a copy in writing and include your full name, date of birth and address.  This can be lodged in person at our customer service counters or alternatively you can email enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au

Yes.  Please complete the “CM05 – Surrender or Transfer of Cemetery Reservation” form and to enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au, over the counter or via post.  An administration fee will apply.

• North Mossman Cemetery – Jones/Rex Family Graves
• Mossman Gorge Community Cemetery
• Old Daintree Mission Cemetery