We provide sensitive and dignified facilities and services including cremation, burial and entombment
23/07/2025
If you're visiting our cemeteries and notice our rose bushes looking a little smaller than usual, don't worry! It's their annual winter pruning.
Pruning while the roses are dormant helps encourage strong new growth and even more beautiful blooms come spring. In just a few months, these hardy plants will be bursting back to life with vibrant colour.
Thank you for your understanding as we care for these peaceful, reflective spaces throughout the seasons.
12/07/2025
Standing in the Anglican section of Fremantle Cemetery is a striking maritime memorial, honouring those lost in the tragic wrecks of the Carlisle Castle and City of York during a violent storm which occurred on this day in 1899.
The City of York ran aground on a Rottnest reef, claiming 11 lives. Remarkably, 15 crew members survived and in the wreckage, six live chickens were discovered still penned in a coop, along with the ship’s cat seen wandering the ship. The ship’s large iron anchor was later recovered and now sits in remembrance near the main jetty at Thomson Bay.
The Carlisle Castle, however, went down near Penguin Island with no survivors. All 22 souls on board were lost.
Heartbroken by the tragedy, the Fremantle community came together, raising funds to support the survivors and to erect this beautiful memorial to those who never returned.
Crafted with incredible artistry, the monument rises over 12 feet high. It features a cross, anchor, and chain carved from a single block of white Sicilian marble, all mounted on a base of locally quarried Meckering stone. The grave is framed by Malmsbury blue stone from Victoria and finished with ornate iron railings.
Beneath the memorial lie the remains of seven men from the wrecks, including:
From the City of York:
Horace Stockwell
William Plantin
John Conway
John Brimer
William Wallis
From the Carlisle Castle:
Frederick Houston
An unidentified man, believed to be an officer, recognised only by the brass buttons on his uniform.
Inscribed with the words “The sea shall give up her dead,” the memorial is both a work of art and a moving reminder of our coast’s maritime history.
Fremantle Cemetery: Anglican A 237-240
07/07/2025
Today marks the beginning of NAIDOC Week, a time to celebrate the rich history and diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Over this week, we reflect on the importance of connection to Country, culture, and community.
At Karrakatta Cemetery, nestled in a peaceful bush setting, lies the Aboriginal Keeping Place, a space of deep significance and quiet dignity. It holds the remains of Aboriginal people who are awaiting repatriation to Country, as well as those who were once kept in museums and sadly cannot be identified for return.
This is the first facility of its kind in Australia. It honours those whose journeys were interrupted, offering a respectful resting place while their stories and history continue to be acknowledged and remembered.
The Keeping Place is more than a physical site, it’s a symbol of healing, truth-telling, and cultural integrity. It reminds us of the importance of listening, learning, and walking alongside First Nations communities in the spirit of reconciliation.
As we mark NAIDOC Week and this year’s theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”, we pay our respects to the Whadjuk Noongar Traditional Custodians, on whose land the Aboriginal Keeping Place stands, and to Elders past, present, and emerging.
13/06/2025
A significant milestone was reached today at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park, as the final Japanese Pepper Tree was officially removed, marking the successful end to a year-long effort to restore and protect the park’s natural bushland.
Working together, the Pinnaroo grounds team and MCB CEO Kathlene Oliver, undertook the removal of the last of this invasive species in the park, which has posed a serious threat to local biodiversity. Over the past year, the grounds team has removed more than 200 Japanese Pepper trees, filling over 60 skip bins with plant material in the process.
Japanese Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) is a fast-growing, invasive pest species that spreads aggressively through root suckers and seeds dispersed by birds and animals. It forms dense thickets, smothers native understorey plants, and disrupts fragile ecosystems like the one carefully preserved at Pinnaroo.
This achievement is a testament to our dedication to caring for our native environment and ensuring that Pinnaroo remains a place of tranquil serenity for remembrance, reflection and natural beauty.
A big thanks to our dedicated Pinnaroo grounds crew and to Kathlene for their leadership and hard work.
06/06/2025
With the latest rains, Makuru, the Noongar season of fertility, has made itself known. Traditionally the coldest and wettest time of year, Makuru signals a time of great change, where the land begins to rest and renew in preparation for new life. It’s a time when Noongar people would move inland away from the coastal winds, and fertility in the environment begins to stir despite the chill in the air.
At our cemeteries, you can witness Makuru at work in subtle and beautiful ways:
🍁 The brilliantly coloured autumn leaves are beginning to fall with the first storms of the season.
🐢 Tiny hatchlings of the endangered Western Swamp Tortoise begin to emerge at Pinnaroo. They’re only the size of a 10 cent coin!
🐦⬛ Australian ravens are starting to pair up for the upcoming breeding season.
🦎 Reptiles are reducing their activity, only appearing on those rare bursts. of winter sunshine.
Makuru reminds us of the resilience and rhythm of nature, even in the quietest, coldest times, life is preparing to bloom again.
27/05/2025
Today marks the beginning of National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to reflect, learn, and take meaningful steps toward reconciliation. At its heart, it is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians, acknowledging our shared history and walking forward together with respect.
The theme for 2025, “Bridging Now to Next,” encourages us to reflect on how our actions today can shape a better, more inclusive future. It speaks to the importance of learning from the past, standing together in the present, and building meaningful change for the next generations.
The artwork for Bridging Now to Next campaign has been created by Kalkadoon artist, Bree Buttenshaw, and celebrates the resilience of Australia’s native flora, featuring Lemon Myrtle, Banksia, Gum Leaves, Desert Lime and Kangaroo Paw, renowned for their ability to endure harsh conditions, regenerate after fire, and flourish through adversity.
The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board respectfully acknowledges the Whadjuk Noongar people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our cemeteries are located. We recognise and honour their enduring connection to the land, waters, and sky, and we pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their cultures, and to Elders past, present and emerging.
16/05/2025
Last week at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park, we took an important step to protect our native environment.
The aquatic management team from Pases Aqua visited our lakes to rehome invasive fish species, mostly koi and goldfish, that had been illegally dumped. These bottom-feeding fish were disrupting the ecosystem, contributing to algae blooms and affecting the endangered Western Swamp Tortoise's breeding cycle.
By removing them from Pinnaroo’s lakes, we’re helping restore ecological balance and giving native wildlife a better chance to thrive.
11/05/2025
Today we welcome you to our cemeteries to remember the mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in our lives who are no longer with us.
Staff will be available at Karrakatta, Pinnaroo and Fremantle Cemeteries to assist with queries until 1pm.
Our other cemeteries will be open as usual.
28/04/2025
The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board extends its deepest condolences on the passing of Rabbi Dr Shalom Coleman CBE AM MA PhD Hon LLD (UWA), who passed away peacefully on Friday night at the remarkable age of 106.
Rabbi Coleman had a long and valued association with the MCB, serving as a member of the Karrakatta and Pinnaroo Valley Cemetery Boards. His contribution to preserving our history was immense, authoring two significant books to commemorate Western Australia’s 150th anniversary in 1979 and the Australian Bicentenary in 1988.
Living a life of continual learning, Rabbi Coleman was a recorder, commentator, participant, and creator of history. His service to the Perth Jewish Community from 1966 laid a foundation for sustained growth of Australia’s third-largest Jewish community. He spent 20 years as Chief Rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation and remained Australia’s most senior Rabbi until his passing.
Born just weeks after the end of World War I, he was named "Shalom" — the Hebrew word for peace — a name he lived up to in many ways.
During World War II, he served as a wireless operator and air gunner with his distinguished military service including missions in France and Western Europe with the Royal Air Force. He would later proudly walk in many ANZAC Day Parades in Perth.
Beyond the Rabbinate, Rabbi Coleman made significant civic contributions, including leadership roles with Rotary, Save the Children Fund, the Probus Centre, the Freemasons, Murdoch University, and many others. His service was recognised with appointments as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Member of the Order of Australia.
Rabbi Coleman’s passing marks the end of an extraordinary life dedicated to faith, scholarship, and community service. His funeral this afternoon at Karrakatta Cemetery may be the most significant the Perth Jewish community has witnessed in its 129-year history.
We honour his memory and lifelong contributions and extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and the wider Jewish community.
May his memory be a blessing.
24/04/2025
This Anzac Day, we pause to honour the courage, sacrifice, and enduring spirit of all Australians and New Zealanders who have served in times of war, conflict, and peacekeeping.
Across our cemeteries, quiet tributes rest - each one a powerful reminder of service and legacy.
As custodians of many of these resting places, the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board remains committed to honouring their service. All official and identified war graves of Australian service personnel are now preserved in perpetuity—a lasting gesture of respect for those who served our country.
Today, and always, we remember them.
Lest we forget.
22/04/2025
On Easter Sunday, we held our annual Easter Mass within the serene surrounds of the Karrakatta Mausoleum.
Led by Father Giancarlo, the service was conducted in both English and Italian, honouring the rich cultural heritage of our Catholic community and offering a space for quiet reflection, remembrance, and hope.
We thank Father Giancarlo, acolytes Terry Meo and Franco Miranda, and all who joined us on this sacred day. It was a beautiful opportunity to come together in faith surrounded by the memories of loved ones.
17/04/2025
At this time of year we welcome Djeran, one of the six Noongar seasons; a time marked by a cooling of the land. This gentle shift signals the change from the heat of Birak and Bunuru to calmer, milder days.
Djeran is associated with the colour green — a symbol of balance, maturity, and new life. It’s known as the season of adulthood, when the landscape settles and prepares for the rains to come.
Across our cemeteries, the signs of Djeran are all around us:
🌿 Banksias are flowering across all our sites
🌿 Seed cones are forming on the Sheoaks
🌿 Morning dew glistens on our lawned areas
🌿 Kangaroos at Pinnaroo are making the most of the sun's lingering warmth
As caretakers of these special places, we pause to honour the rhythms of Country and the deep cultural knowledge of the Noongar people, whose connection to these lands spans thousands of years.
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The MCB is a statutory authority of the government of Western Australia managing six cemeteries within the metropolitan area, including Karrakatta, Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park (PVMP), Midland, Guildford, Fremantle and Rockingham Regional Memorial Park (RRMP). We provide sensitive and dignified facilities and services to meet the needs of the deceased and bereaved, including cremation, burial, entombment, memorialisation and chapel services, as well as planning for future cemetery needs of the Perth metropolitan population.
House Guidelines. Please Note.
Thanks for taking the time to visit our page. Our aim is to create an engaging and informational space whereby we can keep the community up to date with the various goings on across our six cemetery and memorial park locations.
We aim to monitor our page each day during the working week (Monday – Friday) and welcome your constructive comments, input and suggestions. If you wish to discuss a personal family matter we respectfully ask that this not be within the public Facebook forum and that you email us directly (mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au) or give us a call on 1300 793 109.
So as to ensure respectful discussions, we have a number of guidelines in place that we ask you to familiarise yourself with. These are outlined below.
We reserve the right to remove any user content that we determine, in our sole discretion, to be in violation of Facebook’s terms of use or content that includes or promotes the following:
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