Joyful Memorials & Funerals

19/10/2025

Isn’t this heart-warming? So important to have special visitors for patients and the caring team

17/10/2025

A well written funeral or death notice is one of the last caring and thoughtful takes you can do for a loved one. It should give details of birth and death dates, and immediate family. But it should also add descriptors that capture elements of their life and personality.

When I read funeral notices I sometimes wish I had known the person described with love and warmth by their next of kin.

Funeral Notices are not simply about announcing a death, but give some family history for future generations, and also to the many people whose own lives have crossed paths with the deceased.

We are never know how many lives a person has interacted with in some way, and by adding expressive descriptors, you can reach more people.

I also love that this notice includes a family contact and an RSVP - which helps with the practical arrangements like catering.

15/10/2025

When you pull into a Melbourne service station and find a hearse!

This one is from the team at - the older the car, the smaller the petrol tank apparently!

Lovely to catch to the team today!

11/10/2025

Very sad to read this news this morning - many people have been assisted by the Centre for Digestive Diseases at Five Dock.

Condolences to his family, friends and colleagues

08/10/2025

Rookwood’s lack of burial space.

Loved ones have been placed in temporary spots, with plots opening for emergencies only.

25/09/2025

Food for thought! Have a listen to this podcast



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14EjZMFn73W/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Hear Sarah's interview with Bronnie Ware.

Bronnie was living alone in the country and recovering from burnout when she wrote a blog post reflecting on her eight years as a palliative carer and the epiphanies patients shared with her as they faced death.

It was read by millions and became the basis of her best-selling book, The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying.

The lessons Bronnie learnt from her dying patients also helped her confront some darker elements of her childhood and eventually find peace:

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/bronnie-wares-top-five-regrets-of-the-dying/105797006

19/09/2025

This UK article is about the banning of placement of wreaths on the floor INSIDE a chapel due to OHS. Has the world gone mad? Surely there is a simple solution to this (place wreath in small device that collects moisture?)

This is like some chapels banning the use of a candle indoors.

More bans and restrictions will see a further growth in direct cremations and families opting to have their own memorial service, dinner or gathering - but is this sufficient to assist the grief process of the living?

A funeral celebrant has hit out at the policy change

10/09/2025

It’s time to get creative when it comes to funeral and memorial locations - I have officiated services at RSL and community clubs, private and public gardens, chapels, restaurants, pubs, churches, and many more spaces. Remember to plan for the weather, accessibility and parking.

Where do you want your funeral to be held?

With Sydney grappling with the need for more burial plots, the city's funeral industry is also presented with a new problem — a lack of open-air funeral venues.

09/09/2025

Using cremated ashes in artwork. There are so many ways to store or use ashes - in an urn, jewellery, fireworks, the garden, at sea and much more. This article talks about using them in artwork
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31/08/2025

Can anyone help with this important research?

31/08/2025

I was reminded of this beautiful rendition of True Blue today - performed by 3 country singers!

On April 23, 2020 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, 4 amazing women, award-winning country artists and great friends, Amber Lawrence, Aley...

29/08/2025

Stay safe everyone! Another measles outbreak

NSW Health is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious while visiting several locations in Sydney.

The case recently returned from South-East Asia, where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in several countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

People who attended the following locations should watch for the development of symptoms. These locations do not pose an ongoing risk.

Wednesday 20 August:
- Coles, East Village Shopping Mall, Zetland from 6.45pm to 7.35pm
- The University of New South Wales Main Library from 11.30am to 2.30pm

Thursday 21 August:
- Bus Route 320 Zetland to Surry Hills from 11am to 12:00pm
- Noffs Op Shop, 332 Crown Street Surry Hills from 11.30am to 1:30 pm
- Storerooms Vintage, 294-296 Crown Street Surry Hills from 11.30am to 1:30pm
- C’s Flashback Recycled Clothing store, 314 Crown Street Surry Hills from 11.30am to 1:30pm
- KFC, 30-34 Chalmers St Surry Hills from 1.00pm to 2.10pm
- Savers, Surry Hills from 1.40pm to 3.10pm

Friday 22 August:
- Coles, East Village Shopping Mall, Zetland from 7.50pm to 8.35pm

Sunday 24 August:
- Bowan Bakery, Zetland from 9.20am to 11.30am
- East Village Shopping Mall Vodafone Store from 11.00am to 11.35am
- East Village Shopping Mall Optus Store from 11.00am to 11.40am
- Green Square Train Station, train from Green Square to Circular Quay from 11.45am to 12.40pm
- Gateway Sydney Foodcourt including Mad Mex and Sammi’s, Circular Quay from 1.00pm to 2.15pm
- Circular Quay Station, train from Circular Quay to Green Square from 3.45pm to 4.30pm

Monday 25 August:
- Maroubra Urgent Care Centre from 1.30pm to 5.00pm
- Maroubra Medical and Dental Centre and Laverty Pathology waiting room, 806/812 Anzac Parade Maroubra between 3.30pm to 4.30pm
- ALDI Supermarket, Pacific Square Maroubra from 4.40pm to 5.35pm
- Bus Route 396 Maroubra to Kensington from 5.15pm to 6.05pm
- Lucky Supermarket, 132 Anzac Parade Kensington from 5.35pm to 6.10pm

Wednesday 27 August:
- Prince of Wales Hospital Emergency Department, Randwick from 6.00am to 12.30pm

Sydney Local Health District Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Isabel Hess, said anyone who visited the above locations at those times should monitor for symptoms.

“Measles is a vaccine preventable disease that is spread through the air when someone who is infectious coughs or sneezes,” Dr Hess said.

“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.

“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it's important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until 15 September.

“If they develop symptoms, they should call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients.

“We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough.

“Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment."

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective and is given free for children at 12 and 18 months of age. It is also free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn't already had two doses.

Children under the age of 12 months can have a dose of MMR from six months of age if they are travelling overseas. Parents should consult their GP.

People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel. MMR vaccine is available from GPs (all ages) and pharmacies (people over 5 years of age).

For more information on measles, view the measles factsheet: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/Measles_Factsheet.aspx

If you, or a loved one, is experiencing measles symptoms, or have questions about measles, please call your GP or healthdirect on 1800 022 222.