Extreme Weather

Warmer weather keeping cemetery maintenance teams busy

Higher temperatures and damp soil are creating the perfect growing conditions and challenges for grounds staff who are working hard to maintain gardens, lawns, and weeds.

This year’s La Niña weather pattern brought constant rainfall causing wet and unstable grounds and resulting in significant disruptions to regular scheduling of lawn-mowing, gardening, and general parkland and gravesite upkeep.

Maintenance teams are working diligently to manage the current rapid growth rate as effectively as possible. Cemetery areas that are most visible and visited, including burial locations, are being given priority to ensure families’ needs are met.

Greater maintenance demands are an added challenge to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 which continue to affect staff numbers.

Operations teams are working at a lower capacity than usual and members of other teams are continuing to be shared across maintenance and burial crews. Cross-training among cemetery workforce has been implemented along with recruiting additional team members.

Extra caution advised during extreme windy weather

High wind gusts across Sydney, some reaching up to 83 kilometres an hour during November, have caused additonal maintenance issues at cemetery parks and gardens.

Families and visitors are being advised to take extra care when moving around the cemetery should they come across fallen debris from severely damaged trees.

Grounds crews are steadily working to remove any safety hazards, including broken and dropped branches, as soon as possible.

Ongoing management and replacement plans continue, with three trees planted for each one needing to be removed. An arborist is engaged to assess the health and safety of the many species of trees.

The safety of cemetery staff, families and visitors is always the top priority. Extra caution is being advised with more strong windy conditions expected over the coming summer months.

Cemetery management appreciates the community’s continued patience and understanding.

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