On 19 June 2009, Michael McMahon, President, Cemeteries and Crematoria of NSW and I were delighted to attend the opening of The Grove, at Palmdale Lawn Cemetery and Memorial Park. The Grove is a unique concept designed to provide comfort and fulfilment in the tangible recognition of a loved one’s life.

The Grove provides for both burial and cremation memorial sites set around an impressive natural waterfall with adjoining pond. A three metre-wide avenue traverses the area where the largest gem-quality rose quartz crystal ever imported into Australia, rises like a beacon from the central garden.

At the opening, Mr Barry Abrahams, General Manager of the Palmdale Group, explained that the Grove had been specially designed to meet the needs of families incorporating private, intimate spaces whilst retaining the natural beauty of Palmdale’s overall parkland.

“Our intent is to continue to provide unique and attractive options in peaceful, harmonious settings to honour and remember loved ones who have passed”, he said. “The Grove is an integral part of our ongoing development of the Park”.

Palmdale Lawn Cemetery and Memorial Park was established in the early 1970’s and is now the resting place for over 55,000 people. It is conveniently located adjacent to the F3 freeway, just 45 minutes drive from either Sydney or Newcastle. The total area of the site is around 65 acres with approximately half of this under current utilisation. The Park has been publicly recognised for its environmentally sensitive practices and aesthetic qualities.

From its inception, a Permanent Maintenance Fund was created to set aside a proportion of profits from the sale of sites into a Trust that ensures for care and preservation of the Park into the future. Over the past few years, capital expenditure programmes totalling over $3 million have been invested on Palmdale facilities.

The Palmdale Group is a locally owned company with a continuous history of over 160 years in providing funeral, cremation and cemetery services.

Mary Reid,

Secretary,

Cemeteries and Crematoria Association of NSW.