Masterton District Council manages and operates cemeteries at Riverside and Archer Street and two rural cemeteries at Hastwell and Tinui. The crematorium is located at Wairarapa Funeral Services. The Council aims to support family and friends of deceased people with a respectful environment and professional assistance.
Cemeteries
Masterton has two urban cemeteries at Riverside and Archer Street and two rural cemeteries at Hastwell and Tinui.
Booking plots
Can be done during business hours by contacting:
Recreational Services Ltd
P: 09 442 0276
P: 06 370 8323
Plots need to be paid for when you reserve them. Plots that are unpaid will be forfeited after 6 months.
Interments
No one other than the Sexton, assistants of the Sexton or a person authorised by the Council can dig a grave or open the ground for burial in the cemetery.
Crematorium
Crematorium services are available through Wairarapa Funeral Services. This can be organised by your funeral director. If you have any questions you can contact them at:
35-37 Lincoln Rd,
Masterton 5810
P: 06-370 1110
F: 06 370 1199
[email protected]
Headstones
The following measurements are for memorials in the Memorial Park sections of the Masterton and Riverside Cemeteries.
Berm: All concrete berm widths need to be between 650 and 1000mm.
Memorials:
- The concrete base for all memorials needs to have a maximum height of 150mm above the highest point of the berm
- Depth of the base can be a maximum of 400mm
- Insets for flowers in the base are encouraged
- You need a space of 150mm around the memorial base to the berm edge
- Memorials for single plots can be 1 metre wide
- Memorials for double plots can be 2 metres wide
- Memorials can be 1.5 metres high
Memorials should be made from granite or another material approved by Council.
If you want to plant a tree, shrub or flowers in the cemetery grounds you need to apply in writing. Council can remove, plant, prune and manage any trees, shrubs and flowers in the cemeteries.
Statues are only allowed in the monumental part of the Masterton Cemetery and you will need to make an application to Council.
All vases and containers for flowers need to be in insets in the memorial base. Council might remove any neglected or broken vases, plants or flowers.
Grave goods need to be removed within 14 days of interment.
Maintenance
Memorials are maintained by the family of the deceased. Council can make a monument or tablet safe, take it down or remove it if it’s dangerous to people visiting or working in the cemetery.
If a monument is neglected, Council will follow these steps:
- Contact the family to give three months notice that it needs to be repaired or replaced.
- If we can’t find a family, we will advertise the name and address of the last known relative.
- We may remove a rundown or neglected monument if no one comes forward or fixed it within three months.
If someone puts up a memorial or tablet and doesn’t go through the correct process, Council has the right to remove it.
You can also download maps and aerial photos of the cemeteries:
Archer Street Plan (PDF, 33KB) and Aerial Photo (PDF, 568KB)
Riverside Plan and Aerial Photo (PDF, 20MB)
Or view them on the online map service.
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