A dignified farewell - that doesn't cost the earth…
Whether you’ve just lost someone, or you’re preparing for what’s ahead, we’re here to help make the process simple.
Our team handles everything—from transport to paperwork—so you can focus on what matters.
Clear guidance. Honest pricing. Gentle support.
The Green Goodbye
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The Green Goodbye ~
Funerals can be different.
Guided by compassion — for families, and for the earth we all share.
A choice that feels right for today, and for tomorrow.
A new kind of funeral care
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Biodegradable materials, such as shrouds or coffins
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Carbon-offset transport
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Subsidised mental health & financial support
Funeral Commons is Australia’s first funeral social enterprise for both people and planet, not-for-profit
We do this by offering natural burials in conservation bushland, transparent pricing without hidden fees, and support that extends beyond the funeral.
A burial that respects the earth, your wallet, and your wishes
Natural burial options
Direct burial
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From $4200
This fee includes:
A right to be buried at Walawaani Way, Bodalla
Planting of a native tree, with ongoing maintenance and care.
Detailed mapping of the grave location.
Certifying the burial and entering details into the Statutory Register.
Memorial Certificate, including GPS location.
Government levy (as required by NSW law).
Contribution of 8% to the Perpetual Care Fund — ensuring long-term care and conservation of the site.
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From $1000
Grave opening and closing fees to be paid at the time of burial depending on contractor’s price.
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From $990
Covers the transport of the deceased from their place of death (home, hospital, or aged care) to our mortuary partner. The fee listed applies to transfers on weekdays; after-hours, weekend, or public holiday transfers may attract an additional charge.
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From $280
This covers safe and respectful care at our mortuary partner, and includes:
$30 per night stay
Support with clothing and preparation (from $200) — we’ll guide you on natural and biodegradable clothing options.
Biodegradable coffin name plate: $20.
The stay can be as short as one night or extend to several weeks, depending on circumstances.
This cost is for a 2-night stay.
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From $187
Options include: cardboard (price listed), pine, wicker, pandanus, and natural-fibre shrouds. Price varies depending on material and supplier.
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From $750
This covers the support of a dedicated Funeral Carer to guide you through the process. They will:
Be your main point of contact from start to finish, providing compassionate support throughout
Assist with paperwork and required permissions
Coordinate logistics such as transport, burial booking, and timing
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$74.80 for NSW
This is issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages. Funeral Commons lodges the application on your behalf, and the certificate is sent directly to the next of kin.
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$290
A fixed fee that keeps Funeral Commons running as a social enterprise. It helps fund:
Access to grief counselling and mental health support
Subsidised care for families facing financial hardship
Every payment helps us extend care beyond the funeral, into mental health and community support.
From $7772 AUD
Everything you need — nothing you don’t
All-inclusive — GST, supplier & cemetery costs covered
Direct burial with
a memorial service
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Burial plot from $4200
Interment fee from $1000
Transfer from Greater Sydney from $990
Mortuary care from $280
Biodegradable coffin or shroud from $187
= $6657
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From $1350
Be your main point of contact from start to finish, providing compassionate support throughout
Assist with paperwork and required permissions
Coordinate logistics such as transport, burial booking, and timing
Offer gentle advice on ceremony options
Create a simple photo slideshow (additional costs may apply)
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From $975
This includes:
Meeting with families or loved ones to gather stories, memories, and wishes
Writing and delivering a ceremony that reflects the person’s life and values
Coordinating with other speakers, music, and rituals on the day
This service is optional — some prefer a simple graveside gathering or no ceremony at all.
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From $200
Covers one trained staff member to assist at the memorial for up to 2.5 hours. Their role may include:
Greeting and guiding family and guests
Assisting with logistics on the day
Providing practical support to the celebrant and family
If more time or additional staff are needed, this can be arranged at an hourly rate.
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$390
A fixed fee that keeps Funeral Commons running as a social enterprise. It helps fund:
Access to grief counselling and mental health support
Subsidised care for families facing financial hardship
Every payment helps us extend care beyond the funeral, into mental health and community support.
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These extras aren’t included in the base package but can be arranged if you’d like them:
Flowers — from $300 (coffin spray, wreaths, or single stems)
Service booklets — from $275
Photo and video slideshow (basic version included in base price)
Live streaming — from $1,210, recording included
Newspaper notice — price is publication dependent
Clergy / religious leader (instead of a celebrant), from around $500
Catering — varies depending on venue and provider
Viewing or vigil — can be arranged, extra mortuary costs may apply
Cooling bed hire (for home vigil)
End-of-life doula support — hourly, on request
Live music
From $9,852 AUD
Everything you need — nothing you don’t
All-inclusive — GST, supplier & cemetery costs covered
Burial arrangement
in advance
$4,745 AUD
Everything you need - nothing you don’t
All-inclusive — GST, supplier & cemetery costs covered
What our customers say
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“Your unwavering support helped us give my late father a beautiful, dignified farewell - a tribute that celebrated his life in the most loving way possible."
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“I just wanted to give a heartfelt thank you for making the day run so smoothly and giving mum a great send-off. Your help and empathy in the lead up to the day really made a difference.”
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“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the care and compassion you and your team showed us during this incredibly difficult time”
FAQs
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It can feel overwhelming, but you don’t need to treat it like an emergency if it’s expected…
At home:
If the death was expected (for example, under palliative care), call the GP or palliative care team. They’ll confirm the death and issue the necessary paperwork.
If the death was unexpected, call 000.
In hospital or aged care:
Staff will arrange for the death to be certified and provide the necessary paperwork.
👉 You can call Funeral Commons at any time — whether immediately or once certification is complete. We’ll explain what to expect, support you through the process, and be ready to arrange transport, care, and paperwork when the time is right. You don’t need to have all the details decided straight away — we’ll guide you when you’re ready.
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We partner with natural and conservation burial grounds. At launch, that begins with Walawaani Way on the South Coast of NSW, and we aim to connect families with more sites over time.
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Yes. Families are welcome to visit. Conservation burial grounds are protected bushland, so the area remains natural, peaceful, and accessible. GPS coordinates and location info are provided after burial.
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You can choose anything from no ceremony at all, through to a small, simple gathering, or something more involved. The Funeral Commons model means you only pay for what you actually want.
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Absolutely. You can talk to a real person to ask questions, check details, or get guidance before making decisions.
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That’s exactly what we’re offering at launch. Funeral Commons is starting with simple, eco-conscious direct burials at Walawaani Way. No pressure, no upselling — just the essentials done well.
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Most funeral homes include a professional service fee, which can add several thousand dollars to the overall cost. This fee usually covers arranging, staff time, administration, mortuary care, and overheads, but it isn’t always broken down in detail. In addition, many items such as coffins, flowers, and transport are sold with significant mark-ups, and extras like chapels, hearses, or embalming can further increase the price.
Funeral Commons works differently. We keep things transparent: you only pay for what you need, and our small platform fee is clear and up-front. As a social enterprise, we reinvest the majority of our profit into mental health and grief support, and to help families facing financial hardship.
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Cremation isn’t available directly through Funeral Commons yet. If that’s what you’re looking for, we can connect you with trusted partners who operate as sustainably as possible. We also offer the option to offset the impact of cremation by planting trees at Walawaani Way.
If you’d like to know more, please get in touch and we can talk it through with you. -
Conservation burials are designed to care for the environment as well as the person. They avoid embalming chemicals, synthetic materials such as those found in conventional coffins, plastics, varnishes, and concrete vaults — all of which can leach into the ground or release toxins when cremated.
Instead, the body is returned to the earth in biodegradable materials, allowing the soil to regenerate and life to be nourished in a natural cycle. Natural burial grounds are protected bushland, so your choice also directly supports conservation and land restoration.
And because every choice has a carbon impact, Funeral Commons also offers the option to offset emissions (such as from transport or cremation) through tree planting at Walawaani Way.
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Not yet in Australia. Human composting (also called “natural organic reduction”) is legal in parts of the US but hasn’t been introduced here, yet. Funeral Commons actively supports this change and will provide the service the moment it becomes available.
If you’d like to see human composting become a legal option in NSW, you can [sign the petition here].
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All care is provided by experienced funeral professionals who work with Funeral Commons. They handle transport, preparation, and paperwork with dignity and transparency.
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Funeral Commons is independent — we’re not part of a large corporate group. Families stay in control, and providers are chosen for their values and professionalism.
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Our final prices include all supplier costs and applicable taxes/levies (e.g., cemetery fees). Funeral Commons’ own fees are not subject to GST at this time.
Returning to the earth, as nature intended
“At Walawaani Way, we believe that people should have the choice to return their loved ones, untainted, back to nurture the soil, just as has been done for most of human existence,”
Founder, Fiona McCuaig