Hundreds of Australians, including war veterans, are being buried in unmarked communal graves
A Guardian Australia investigation found that NSW authorities have buried people considered unable to afford funerals in shared, unmarked graves at Rookwood cemetery in Sydney. Some graves hold four to six people.
The investigation identified people who had experienced homelessness, including three clients of a Sydney homelessness foundation. Its leader, the Rev Bill Crews, said the organisation was not told they had died, despite sometimes paying for funerals.
Two former Royal Australian Navy members who served in the Vietnam war were also buried in communal graves, in 2024 and 2025. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs said it had not been asked to help pay for those burials.
In at least six cases, relatives or support workers were not contacted or were not informed about the burial arrangements. NSW policy is intended to prevent unnecessary distress when people might have chosen another option.
NSW Health has apologised and indicated it will improve the process. Health Minister Ryan Park called the failings unacceptable; the proposed changes are the next step.
Key points
- Rookwood communal graves have held four to six people, including veterans and people who experienced homelessness.
- At least six cases involved failures to contact or inform relatives or support workers.
- NSW Health apologised and flagged process improvements.