Council endorses Cemetery Master Plan

Published on 30 January 2026

At their first Ordinary Meeting for 2026, Whitsunday Regional Council endorsed a Cemetery Master Plan to guide the respectful, long-term management of cemeteries across the region.

Councillors unanimously endorsed and welcomed the plan, recognising its role in supporting families during difficult times and ensuring the community’s needs are carefully considered for generations to come.

The Master Plan provides a clear framework for how Council’s cemeteries will be managed and expanded over time, ensuring they continue to meet community needs in a dignified, sustainable and well-planned way.

Mayor Ry Collins said the Cemetery Master Plan reflects Council’s responsibility to care for these important community spaces with sensitivity and foresight.

“Our cemeteries are deeply personal places for families across the Whitsundays,” Mayor Collins said.

“This Master Plan ensures we are thinking long-term and protecting burial space, improving accessibility and maintaining these spaces to a standard the community expects, both now and into the future.”

The plan outlines key priorities including future burial capacity, improved layout and visitor access, support for diverse burial preferences, and a staged approach to upgrades as needs arise.

Importantly, the Master Plan does not commit Council to immediate construction works. Instead, it provides a practical roadmap to inform future decisions when demand, funding and priorities align.

The Cemetery Master Plan will help Council respond proactively to population growth, changing community expectations and long-term asset management responsibilities, while ensuring cemeteries remain peaceful places of remembrance.

View the Master Plan