Sydney’s newest crown cemetery, Macarthur Memorial Park, was officially opened at a special ceremony held at the site in Varroville on Monday, 7 April 2025. It is the first new crown cemetery in NSW to open in more than 85 years, marking a historic milestone in cemetery development across the state.
The event was attended by NSW Premier Chris Minns, NSW Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher, and leaders from 25 faith communities, who gathered to acknowledge the site’s importance as a shared space for remembrance, reflection, and community.
Spanning 113 hectares, Macarthur Memorial Park provides much-needed burial and cremation space for the people of NSW, including 136,000 burial plots and thousands of cremation niches. The park is designed to serve the state’s growing and diverse multicultural and multi-faith population for the next 100 years.
The $125 million development was delivered by Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria (CCC) and handed over to the NSW Government as public crown land to benefit current and future generations.
Key features of the park include three large chapels – The Sanctuary – with capacity for up to 400 people, a function centre for 250 guests, a café, picnic areas, 20 dedicated burial rooms for specific cultural and religious groups, six lakes, and over eight kilometres of walking and bike trails open to the public during daylight hours.
CCC CEO Lauren Hardgrove said, “We are delighted to provide this park for the people of NSW and look forward to the community embracing this unique facility, which spans 113 hectares in the Scenic Hills and will serve generations to come.
“Macarthur Memorial Park has been inspired by international facilities that welcome not only those honouring their loved ones but also the wider public seeking a place to reflect, connect with friends, or enjoy the outdoors.”
Premier Minns said, “I am excited that this park is now available for the people of NSW and look forward to seeing the community benefit from its purpose as both a place of remembrance and a space for relaxation. The Labor Government has been instrumental in approving this facility to alleviate the fast-diminishing supply of burial grounds in Sydney and uncertainty of who operates them. These parks are quiet and beautiful places of recreation for all the family, schools and other groups of all faiths and cultures, with groves of trees, lakes and open space. For all intents and purposes, they are not cemeteries but beautiful open spaces to be enjoyed by everyone.”
President of the Muslim Cemeteries Board, Mr Kazi Ali OAM, said, “For years, the shortage of burial space has been a growing concern in our community, and we were facing a real crisis. While this crisis has been mitigated by new cemetery spaces across Sydney, Macarthur Memorial Park will play a crucial role in serving the growing Muslim population, providing our families a dignified and appropriate place for burial for generations to come.”
CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Michele Goldman, said, “The opening of Macarthur Memorial Park ends a long journey to deliver new, affordable and appropriate burial space for the Jewish Community. The reality is that the Jewish community had been running out of burial space but thanks to MMP we are ready for the next century.”
Maronite Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay said, “The opening of Macarthur Memorial Park is a momentous occasion for all faith communities in NSW. As Maronites, we deeply value the importance of honouring our deceased loved ones with dignity and respect. This park provides a sacred and peaceful place where families can gather, reflect, pray, and continue their traditions for generations to come. We are grateful for this commitment to ensuring all communities have access to a respectful and enduring place of remembrance.”
In addition to the opening of MMP, Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria announced the expansion of its Kemps Creek burial grounds, with an additional 4.73 hectares secured for 10,000 future burial spaces, also on crown land.
Archbishop Fisher added, “I applaud the Minns Government for its foresight and action to end the uncertainty about where close to 30 per cent of the NSW population will continue to be buried. Macarthur Memorial Park is truly a place for all faiths and cultures and we are proud to be handing over this valuable asset that has taken 13 years to come to fruition.”
For more information, visit: www.mmpark.com.au
