Pre-cyclone clean-up at Cairns Cemetery

Council will conduct a clean-up of the western lawn section of the Cairns Cemetery (Martyn St) in preparation for the upcoming cyclone season.

Over time, there has been an increase in unapproved adornments and tributes placed on grave sites, such as glass and water-holding vessels, clothing, ornaments and other unsecured items that could become missiles in high winds.

Many of these items have deteriorated, are broken or damaged, and can potentially cause injury to people and the surrounding environment

In the interests of community safety and to ensure the western lawn cemetery is maintained, Council officers will be removing the following items:

• All glass items
• Water holding vessels
• Damaged, deteriorated flowers and tributes
• Unsecured, unapproved and dangerous items
• Tributes placed on grassed areas
• Tributes placed outside of designated plots.

Families are encouraged to collect any items of significance or value before 20 November 2023 as Council will not be retaining any removed items.

Council’s Cemetery Policy, available on Council’s website, outlines what is acceptable when placing tributes on grave sites.