Cemeteries

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Penrith City Council (02) 4732 7777 (02) 4732 7958 council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au 601 High St Penrith NSW 2750 Australia
Cemeteries

Council directly manages 3 operational cemeteries:  

  • Emu Plains General Cemetery - Mundy Street, Emu Plains 
  • Penrith General Cemetery - Cox Avenue, Kingswood  
  • St Marys General Cemetery - Great Western Highway, St Marys.

Contact our Cemeteries Officer on 4732 7640 or email  or read our Cemeteries Frequently Asked Questions.                                        

The extensive denominational areas in each cemetery reflect the traditional layout of cemeteries in the late 19th century:

  • Emu Plains cemetery: Anglican, Catholic, Presbyterian and Uniting sections
  • Penrith cemetery: Anglican, Catholic, Independent/General, Presbyterian, Salvation Army and Uniting sections
  • St Marys cemetery: Anglican, Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Independent/General, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Uniting sections.

 All new graves are dug to a depth that allows for a second burial to take place in the site if desired. Cremated remains can also be interred in a gravesite.

Ashes placements are available at Penrith General Cemetery in Memorial Walls and Memorial Gardens. At Emu Plains General Cemetery, ashes placements are available in Memorial Walls. Cemeteries managed by Penrith City Council are open to public 7 Days a Week, 365 days a year. Penrith General Cemetery and St Marys General Cemetery gates are open from 6am to Sunset. 

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See Council's: 

Penrith

See a map of Penrith General Cemetery (pdf 692KB). 

This cemetery has: 

  • Dominational monumental sections
  • Non-denominational lawn sections, including a plaque on beam lawn section
  • Catholic lawn areas
  • Columbarium and columbarium garden for placement of ashes and
  • a children's garden, where plaques can be placed.

Penrith Cemetery was dedicated in 1903 and Council took over its management in 1967. Visit the Local History Section of Penrith Library for more information about the history of this cemetery.

Penrith General Cemetery Columbarium Wall

Emu Plains 

See a map of Emu Plains General Cemetery

Council took over management of the cemetery in 1967. During the 1970s and 1980s, many hundreds of public burials occurred there.  A memorial wall is located at the cemetery where memorial plaques can be placed in memory of these public burials. The foundation stone for the Anglican Church at Emu Plains was laid in 1848. Unfortunately, a major bushfire in 1929 burnt down the Rectory and destroyed many of the Church records. There was heavy reliance on the inscriptions on memorials and tombstones in place at the time to 'rebuild' the burial records.

Some time after the completion of the Nepean River bridge and railway in 1867, other denominational sections were established. Part of the cemetery site stands over the site of the prison quarters and kitchen garden of the 1819 government farm. Visit the Local History Section of Penrith Library for more about the history of this cemetery.

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St Marys 

See a map of St Marys General Cemetery

Council took over management of this cemetery in 1967. This cemetery began in 1881 with the dedication of the Anglican Section, and the first burial was in 1886. In the post Second World War period, many new settlers arrived from other countries. St Marys cemetery has a large number of Greek, Maltese, Italian and Eastern European graves.

Visit the Local History section of Penrith Library for more information about the history of this cemetery.

When you buy a grave site or ashes site from Council, some rules apply. These are necessary to keep the areas safe, respectful and attractive for the benefit of all families and visitors.

Monuments can be erected on sites in the denominational monumental and lawn sections of each cemetery, but you need to get a permit from Council before putting up a monument as there are required standards.

Only the owner of a grave (the person who owns the burial right, or if the owner is deceased, their next of kin) can arrange for a monument to be erected. As owner of the burial right it is your responsibility to maintain, in a safe and satisfactory condition any monument on the grave site. Water taps and rubbish bins are provided for your use. Council may remove any items that are not allowed in the rules.

Monumental Sections

(Penrith, St Marys and Emu Plains General Cemeteries)

  • Full monuments or headstones can be erected with Council approval
  • All work must be built to Australian Standards
  • Keep all material within the grave site
  • No rocks or solar lanterns around monuments, all materials must stay within gravesite
  • Plastic vases only - no glass or crockery

Lawn Sections (monument on beam)

Penrith and St Marys General Cemeteries

  • Headstones can be erected on the beam (no higher than 1 metre) with Council approval
  • All work must be built to Australian Standards
  • Plastic vases only - no glass or crockery
  • Plastic vases and flowers to be placed only on the beam 
  • No materials or objects can be placed on the lawn grave area

Lawn Sections (plaque on beam)

Penrith General Cemetery 

  • Plaques are supplied through Council
  • Plastic vases only - no glass or crockery
  • No materials or objects are to be placed on the lawn grave area 

Gardens

cemetery gardens

(Penrith General Cemetery)

  • Plastic vases and flowers can be placed next to the plaque
  • Plaques are supplied through Council
  • Plastic vases only - no glass or crockery
  • No plants or objects on ashes site

Columbaria (Niche Walls)

Penrith and Emu Plains General Cemeteries 

  • A plaque vase is available when the plaque is ordered
  • Plaques are supplied through Council
  • No vases or objects to be placed at the base of the wall

To ensure our cemeteries are safe, respectful and attractive for families and visitors, some rules apply. We may remove:

  • items that block or impede pathways
  • rocks or solar lanterns around monuments
  • any other items that could be a hazard to visitors or staff such as glass vases, jars, stakes and spikes.

Cemetery burial registers are public documents and can be accessed during business hours at Council's Office. Phone4732 7640 for more information.

Explore our Local History collection at Penrith Library, for a wealth of information about all local cemeteries. Contact our Local History Librarian on 4732 7891, or email 

All remaining available burial sites at Penrith General Cemetery are allocated "at need" only and next available.

Pre purchase of a burial plot at Penrith General Cemetery is only available to families of the deceased at time of burial. The family of the deceased can purchase (reserve) an adjoining plot, if available.