The Ashburton District Council administers 11 cemeteries. These are located at:

Ashburton, Methven, Rakaia, Chertsey, Mt Somers, Ruapuna, Alford Forest, Winslow, Hinds, Waterton, Barrhill.

The Council also carries out the interments at four private cemeteries, Dorie, Windermere, Coldstream and Cracroft. 

Both Ashburton and Methven have a Returned Services section and the Ashburton cemetery has a children's section for those nine years and under.  The new lawn section of the Ashburton cemetery is interdenominational whereas the majority of the rural cemeteries have separate areas for different religions.  Ashburton, Methven and Rakaia have cremation beams.

Cemetery burial records are kept by the council in books and on a computer.  Each cemetery has a site map and the staff are only too happy to help if with an inquiry about a long lost relative, friend or the like.

Caption: Pioneer Park Monument

Council charges include:

1.  Purchase of plot.

2.  Fee for interment - which includes breaking concrete, digging of grave and filling in.

3.  An extra fee for a non-resident, someone who has lived in the district for less than two years.

4.  Headstone permits.

At the Ashburton cemetery we encourage double interments by way of extra depth to enable two caskets to be interred in one plot.  In some of the rural cemeteries this is prohibited due to high water table or stony country.  There are bylaws relating to cemeteries which outline the type, size and upkeep of memorials.

Please click here to view the Cemeteries Fees & Charges