The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) is currently working to develop a brand new site at Harkness in the City of Melton. Considering not just the traditional uses of a public cemetery, but also multi-use benefits, the site will transition over the next 100 years to meet the burial and cremation needs of Victorians.
The project presents an exciting opportunity to create an innovative new memorial park that pushes the boundaries of the traditional public cemetery.
“I am incredibly excited by the enormous potential of our new site at Harkness,” says GMCT CEO Deb Ganderton.
“We have an unprecedented opportunity to start from a blank page and reimagine what a memorial park could be and how we could create a valued open space for the whole community.”
At around 128 hectares, the site at Harkness will be the largest cemetery development in Victoria in over 100 years. The immense scale of the site means that in addition to creating a world-class memorial park, GMCT is investigating other potential uses for the land.
As it plans the design of this site, GMCT is speaking with key stakeholders and Traditional Owners. GMCT wants to expand on this consultation by gathering interested community members, so it is currently creating three advisory groups and inviting any interested parties to apply to join one of them.
“Advisory group members will play an integral role in the development of the master plan for this exciting new memorial park,” Ms Ganderton says.
“We would like to hear from a diverse group of people from across Victoria who are passionate about being a part of this ground-breaking project.”
In order to represent a variety of voices and help bring like-minded individuals together, GMCT’s three separate advisory groups will provide ongoing contributions to the planning process.
These group meetings will be held approximately every six weeks starting in early December, and will be a combination of online and face-to-face.
GMCT is encouraging anyone interested to apply to one of the following groups:
Community Reference Group. The role of this group is to help GMCT build a deeper understanding of the local community’s aspirations for the site at Harkness, including how the site could add value as a multi-use green space.
Cultural Diversity Advisory Group. The purpose of this group is to ensure the planning process considers the needs and desires of the wide range of cultures and religions present, being inclusive of all that will use the space for years to come.
The Expert and Innovation Advisory Group will assist GMCT in moving beyond the restrictions and expectations of a traditional cemetery by maximising the potential of the multi-use green space. GMCT also sees the potential for innovative commercial, business, or partnership opportunities through this planning process. Groups and individuals who hold insightful business knowledge or innovative thinking skill sets are encouraged to participate in the group.
To apply for one of the advisory groups, please visit GMCT’s Harkness Advisory registration page at yoursay.gmct.com.au/harkness/survey_tools/advisory-group-harkness.
The planning process will continue into mid-2022 and interested community members are welcome to reach out to GMCT at any stage.
If you don’t have the time to dedicate to joining an advisory group, but still want to be involved, then visit the website at yoursay.gmct.com.au/harkness.
