Understanding cremation
Cremation is an increasingly preferred option, offering flexible memorialisation and a variety of ways to remember a loved one.
At Centennial Park, we offer:
- Cremation for adults, infants, and children.
- Options for witnessing the commencement of a cremation.
- Personalised memorial services and ashes placement ceremonies.
The cremation process
Our team ensures the cremation process is transparent and respectful. Here’s what to expect:
Cremation Service Options
Centennial Park offers options to personalise your loved one’s final farewell.
Contemplation Court
A temporary ashes memorial area
Contemplation Court is a peaceful place where family and friends can visit and remember their loved ones after a cremation. It’s a calm and peaceful environment for those first weeks and months of grief – when everything can feel overwhelming.
Contemplation Court offers a temporary ashes memorial for up to six months, giving you space to reflect, begin healing, and to take your time in deciding on an enduring memorial, when you’re ready.
Centennial Park is proud to be the only cemetery in South Australia, and the first in the country, to offer this service.
After the cremation
Centennial Park provides options and meaningful ways to commemorate your loved one, each offering a chance to reflect, remember, and stay connected.
Ashes Memorial Garden Interments
A memorial offers a physical connection, a place to say goodbye, to reflect, and to remember someone you’ve lost.
At Centennial Park, you’ll find over 30 beautiful, themed gardens with a range of options. Whether it’s a sunny spot, a favourite rose, or somewhere near water, we’ll help you choose a place that feels just right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we choose where we are cremated?
Yes. Although, if the cremation has not been pre-planned, families are generally unaware of the choices available when it comes to cremation and often don’t think to tell the funeral director where they would like the cremation to take place.
If you wish for your cremation to take place at Centennial Park, please include this decision in your end-of-life planning or if arranging a funeral for a loved one ask your funeral director to contact Centennial Park for the cremation.
How long does a cremation take?
Each cremation takes up to 90 minutes, but this can vary. The entire process takes around four hours, which includes:
- Cremation within the main cremating chamber
- Cooling in the secondary air chamber before being placed into an ash cooling hopper
- Processing of cremated remains into a fine, sand-like powder. These are what are commonly referred to as the “ashes”. Ashes are placed into a sealed standard ash container or urn with identification label.
What happens with the ashes after a cremation?
We understand that the final decision about where your ashes will be placed, and how you will be remembered, can take some time.
Contemplation Court at Centennial Park is a temporary ashes memorial area. Ashes can be placed in Contemplation Court for up to six months with a temporary marker, giving family and friends a place to visit and remember while they make a decision on a permanent memorial.
We are proud to be the only cemetery in South Australia and the first in the country to offer this service to our community.
What can I do with ashes?
While many families choose to memorialise within one of the many stunning gardens at Centennial Park, some families choose either to keep the ashes at home or to scatter them.
We recommend memorialisation as it provides the opportunity, for extended family and friends, and even future generations, to remember a life and have a physical anchor point.
If having ashes at home in an urn is important, you may also like to consider having a plaque-only memorial at Centennial Park. Centennial Park offers areas within our beautiful gardens where a plaque can be placed without ashes.
Would you like more information?
If you’d like to talk through your options or have questions about pricing,
we’re here to help.