In September, NZCCC Ngā Rau Hotu Chair Daniel Chrisp attended the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association (ACCA) Conference in Sydney, which brought together sector professionals from across Australasia to share insights and innovations in cemetery and crematoria management.
One of the most powerful presentations came from John Adams, who has successfully advocated for grief education to be included in the UK national curriculum. His work highlights the importance of creating open, healthy conversations around death and loss. Adams will also be presenting at the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) Conference in February, offering a timely opportunity for similar discussions here in Aotearoa.
Dr Hannah Gould from the Death Tech Research Team at the University of Melbourne also shared compelling research on the cultural and technological shifts shaping the sector. Dr Gould announced a new initiative, the project Plot 2153, which began after a local resident discovered his great-grandfather’s unmarked grave beside a historic asylum. The project’s focus on remembrance and recognition aligns closely with work currently underway in Porirua to commemorate unmarked graves.
The conference site visit was to MacArthur Memorial Park, a newly developed 100-hectare cemetery built at a cost of $125 million. The memorial park demonstrated what thoughtful investment and long-term planning can achieve in the creation of meaningful, sustainable memorial spaces. The day after the conference, Daniel visited Rookwood Cemetery, the largest cemetery in the southern hemisphere, with more than one million interments across 380 hectares and extensive onsite facilities including florists, a café and two crematoriums.
“The ACCA Conference provided valuable insights into the shared challenges and opportunities facing our sector,” says Chrisp. “While the contexts across Australasia may differ, our collective purpose remains the same: caring for people, memory, and place.”
NZCCC Ngā Rau Hotu extends its thanks to the ACCA team and CEO Ben Kelly for their warm hospitality and for hosting a thought-provoking and well-organised event.