Miscarriage affects one in four Australian pregnancies, yet the grief that follows is often endured alone. A new memorial garden at Bunurong Memorial Park is helping to change this.
On Sunday 4 May, National Miscarriage Awareness Day, Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) opened the Butterfly Garden, a permeant public space designed for reflection, reflection, remembrance and healing for those who have experienced miscarriage or early pregnancy loss.
“This memorial garden has been years in the making, beginning in 2019 with our partnership with Miscarriage Information Support Services,” SMCT Chair Dr Vanda Fortunato said.
A space for families, shaped by families
The Butterfly Garden, a bespoke memorial space devoted to miscarriage and early pregnancy loss is a first for Bunurong Memorial Park. It marks a turning point in how cemeteries can offer more services to their communities to support diverse experiences of loss, grief, and commemoration.
The views of community and Traditional Custodians were essential in building a space that would reflect their experiences and needs. The garden was developed in collaboration with Miscarriage Information Support Services (MISS) as well as Red Nose Australia, Miscarriage Australia, and Monash Health, with funding from the Australian Government.
Their feedback in contributing to building a public space devoted to losses like miscarriage allows community members to share their grief together, rather than grieving in silence. It allows parents and families to remember and commemorate their children in a special, personalised space, united with those who have experienced similar losses.
The garden also aims to raise public awareness of miscarriage and encourage more open conversations around early pregnancy loss. It forms part of SMCT’s broader commitment to inclusive memorial spaces.
“This garden is a deeply heartfelt space, created to honour and remember all those touched by the loss of a baby, and to stand alongside those who support them,” said Dr Fortunato.
“Together with the MISS community, we’ve carefully developed this garden based on what families told us they needed. SMCT is proud to have invested in making this vision a reality.”
Opening the conversation
SMCT held a public launch event for the garden on Sunday 4 May, which coincided with National Miscarriage Awareness Day, to officially open the new garden and invite families to experience the space for the first time together.
The event brought together community, government, and industry peers, including Grief Australia, Miscarriage Australia, and representatives from Victorian Parliament including State Member for Mornington Chris Crewther and Member for South-Eastern Metropolitan Region Lee Tarlamis OAM.
All in attendance were keenly aware of what this space means to many in the local community, and the weight of giving voice to a profound grief experienced by so many families.
“Remember, this garden is for you – created with and for the community,” Dr Fortunato said.
The Butterfly Garden is open year-round and accessible within Bunurong Memorial Park to all members of the public.
Photos thanks to Jonathan Lang Photography.