What if your final act is a celebration, not a goodbye? It’s such an irony that our most heartfelt goodbyes are often said to an empty room. This is an uncomfortable reality that many families across Australia are trying something fresh and meaningful for the departure of their loved one. Instead of mourning for the lost, the living funeral is (now) the new approach to the after life plan. Don’t get the idea wrong. It’s not about confronting death, but rather celebrating a life in the most present and personal way possible. This is going to be a beautiful opportunity for you and your family to gather, share stories, and care for the environment.

With a living funeral, you can create an environment of gratitude and connection. It’s a beautiful way to show people how much they mean to you, and it gives them the chance to share their feelings with you in person. This approach can be a meaningful experience for everyone, as it transforms a potential time of sadness into a celebration of a life. At Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens, your living funeral can happen and is more special when surrounded by botanical beauty, making the ceremony a wonderful memorial and a powerful symbol of life’s continuation through nature.

What Is A Living Funeral?

Ready to celebrate your life? That’s exactly what a living funeral is. Think of it as a party celebrating your amazing life, held while you are still here to be the guest of honor. Instead of people sharing memories about you when you’re gone, your friends and family get to tell you directly how much you mean to them.

This is especially meaningful for children, giving them a gentle and positive way to understand and remember. In Australia, families are seeking these more personal experiences. As one mother, Nicole Taylor, said, she wanted her children to have a memorial tree they could hug to feel close to their grandmother. This beautiful idea allows you to provide a comforting, physical touchstone for your family, a peaceful place they can visit to feel connected to you for years to come.

“We wanted a place where it is peaceful and quiet, where we could celebrate Mum’s life. My 2 children, who are still young, needed a place where they could hug Mum as a tree. Have a flower next to their bed at night.” – Nicole Taylor –

By choosing a celebration rooted in nature, you are also creating a new tradition. For centuries, cultures all over the world, including our Indigenous communities, have honored ancestors and celebrated the cycle of life in nature. You do not only create one beautiful day here, but you also build a lasting legacy. It’s going to be a new family tradition that can be passed down through generations, keeping your memory alive and growing.

The Best Living Funeral Ideas In Australia

What are the best living funeral ideas you can think of? A living funeral is your chance to create a day full of love and personal touches. The key is to blend meaningful moments with activities that bring everyone together. At Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens, you can create the best Living Funeral because your loved ones literally become a living tree that grows and become a central place of a peaceful sanctuary. Here are all of the best Living Funeral Ideas that you can explore:

• Choose a Memorial Tree Together At Mornington Green Living Legacy Garden: You can make selecting a tree a special family activity. Think about what kind of tree best represents your loved one. Is it a strong oak, a beautiful cherry blossom that blooms on their birthday, a vibrant Japanese maple, or a stunning jacaranda? The process of choosing becomes a way to share stories about their personality and what they mean to you.
• Share Memories on a Garden Walk At Mornington Green: A simple walk through the beautiful memorial garden at Mornington Green can be a powerful way to connect. As you stroll, you can share stories and memories in a natural, relaxed way. This creates intimate moments between the person being honored and their family and friends, letting conversation flow easily. For example, Amanda Settineri chose a botanical garden for her son who loved nature because a traditional cemetery just didn’t feel right.

My son Matthew passed in 2020, and finding a resting place for him was incredibly challenging. Traditional cemeteries felt sad and didn’t reflect who he was. Matthew loved nature, and when I found Mornington Green, its vision of a beautiful botanical garden felt like the perfect place.

• Celebrate with the Seasons: You can use the time of year to create a special theme. Plan a spring ceremony among blooming flowers to symbolize new beginnings, or a summer picnic to celebrate life. An autumn gathering can be set against a backdrop of colorful changing leaves, while a winter event can be a cozy time for reflection.
• Work on a Garden Project: Getting hands-on can be a wonderful way to create a lasting tribute. Your family could plant special flowers, create personalized stepping stones, or even design a small memorial garden area. This creates a new tradition and a reason to return to the beautiful space year after year.
• Share a Meaningful Moment: You can also plan a more formal celebration. Consider hosting a high tea in a garden, a formal meal in a beautiful house, or a simple wine and cheese gathering overlooking the memorial trees. It’s about creating a peaceful and beautiful setting where people feel comfortable. As Wendy shared, visiting her son’s memorial in a garden allows her to simply enjoy her time, and sit peacefully, which she does every week.

I could not imagine going to a cemetery with a plaque on the ground to visit my son. Here, I can come with my chair, book, and coffee, and just sit and read. I do it every week.

Testimonial of Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens.

How To Plan A Living Funeral In Australia?

How to plan a living funeral that is both meaningful and easy to organize? Here is a simple guide to walk you through the process of planning a Living Funeral at Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens, helping you create a beautiful day of celebration and remembrance.

• Step 1: Get in touch to schedule a visit. You and your loved one can explore the peaceful gardens together, see the beautiful trees, and learn about how a living legacy is created. This is a chance to meet the friendly team who will support you through the entire journey.
• Step 2: Work with an experienced planner to design a day that truly reflects your loved one’s personality. You can choose a cozy garden corner for a small, intimate gathering or a more open area for a larger celebration. This is when you can plan special touches like music, readings, and what kind of food you’d like, from a casual picnic to a (small) tea party.
• Step 3: Choose a memorial tree for your living funeral. You can tour the gardens to find the perfect spot and type of tree. You choose one that flowers around a birthday or anniversary. It’s a wonderful opportunity for your family to discuss what different trees symbolize and choose one together.
• Step 4: Don’t worry about the logistics. The team helps organize everything for you. They’ll take care of sound systems for music or speeches, coordinate the catering, arrange for a photographer, and even have a backup plan with indoor facilities in case of bad weather.
• Step 5: The team ensures everything runs smoothly so you can focus on what’s important: being with your family and friends. You’ll have a beautiful setting to share memories, and your family can participate in the tree planting ceremony, creating a lasting moment.
• Step 6: The support doesn’t stop when the day is over. You will receive regular updates on how your memorial tree is growing and be invited to seasonal events in the garden. It’s a promise that your loved one’s living legacy will be cared for forever.

Katherine shared about the ongoing joy: “It’s nothing at all like that of visiting a cemetery. There is so much joy in watching not only our trees grow, but the entire grounds evolving. We bring a picnic rug, play games on the grounds, feed the ducks and have a coffee.”

Companies That Offer Living Funeral In Australia

Thinking about planning a living funeral in Australia? The funeral industry is changing, and now you have wonderful alternatives to traditional services that focus on celebrating life.

Here are some of the companies leading the way:

Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens (Melbourne, Victoria)

This is a beautiful botanical garden where you can combine a living funeral ceremony with the planting of a memorial tree. Located on the Mornington Peninsula, it offers a complete and supportive experience.

• What they offer you: They provide professional planners to help you design the entire celebration. You can choose a special memorial tree, like a Cherry Blossom, Oak, or Japanese Maple, and host your gathering in the beautiful Magnolia House. They can also arrange everything from catering and high tea to photography to capture the day.
• What makes them special: Mornington Green uses a world-first process that safely transforms ashes into nutrients for the tree. The same tree can even become a memorial for multiple family members over time. For every memorial, they also plant 200 additional trees around the world. As Caitlyn Thomson shared, “We now have a beautiful tree when visiting our son that we can watch grow. It’s our happy place.“

Wellington Dam Living Legacy Forest (Western Australia)

If you are in Western Australia, you can choose a memorial tree in a protected national park. This unique service allows your living funeral to be part of a larger effort to restore the native ecosystem and create habitats for endangered species.

Other Options Across Australia

• Simplicity Funerals: This company can help you with living funeral planning and can even coordinate with medical teams.
• Bare Funerals: They offer flexible memorial and celebration services all across the country.
• Independent Celebrants: You can find many specialized celebrants throughout Australia who can help you design and lead a beautiful, personalized living funeral ceremony.

The Cost of Living Funerals In Australia

Let’s compare the costs so you can see the difference.

What does a traditional funeral cost?

• Basic Cremation: $3,108 – $8,045
• Standard Funeral: $5,591 – $9,403
• Premium Burial: $11,039 – $15,000+

What does a living funeral cost?

• You can plan it like a party, paying for a venue, food, a celebrant, etc.
• OR, you can choose an all-inclusive package.

What does a Mornington Green package include?

• Price: Starts at $7,000.
• What’s Included: Your memorial tree, professional event planning, and ongoing maintenance of the gardens.
• Key Benefits: No hidden costs, a tree can be shared by up to 8 family members, and you create a beautiful place to visit.
• The total investment for a full celebration and memorial tree is typically $7,000 – $15,000.

The True Value of Your Living Memorial

When you choose a living memorial, you receive benefits that last a lifetime and beyond.

• A Beautiful Place to Visit: Your memorial is a thriving tree in a professionally cared-for botanical garden that your family will want to return to.
• A Positive Impact on the Earth: Your choice helps with reforestation and supports a healthier environment for everyone.
• A Lasting Family Connection: You create a peaceful spot where your family can gather, reflect, and share memories for years to come.
• A Sense of Community: You join a network of other families who have made the same meaningful choice.
• A Legacy for Generations: Your memorial tree can serve as a tribute for up to eight family members, creating a legacy that lasts for decades.

Alan Kent shared: “The whole concept is amazing! We even helped plant our tree. It was a fantastic experience for my kids and even my grandkids! I would highly recommend it.”

Living Funerals Ceremony

So, what does a living funeral ceremony at Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens actually look like from start to finish? A well-planned ceremony balances heartfelt moments of remembrance with a relaxed, celebratory atmosphere, all set within a beautiful garden.

• A Gentle Welcome: Your day begins with a warm welcome to the gardens. This gives you and your guests time to settle in, take a peaceful walk, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and absorb the calm of the natural environment before the ceremony begins.
• The Opening: The ceremony officially starts at the location of your chosen memorial tree. This is a moment to welcome everyone, acknowledge the importance of the day, introduce the person being honored, and set a warm, celebratory tone that focuses on the continuation of life.
• Sharing Precious Memories: The heart of the day is the sharing of memories. This can happen in many beautiful ways. Family members might give planned tributes, or you can all take a “memory walk” through the gardens, sharing stories in small, intimate groups. You can even have an open circle for sharing or reading letters from friends and family who couldn’t attend.
• The Memorial Tree Ceremony: A truly special and unique moment is the ceremony for the memorial tree itself. A professional horticulturist will guide you as your family participates in blessing the tree and placing the ceremonial soil. It’s a powerful and hands-on way to create a living connection to your loved one.
• A Time for Reflection: After the memories have been shared, the person being honored has a chance to respond. They can share their own thoughts and wisdom, express their gratitude, or simply have quiet, private moments with their loved ones in the peaceful garden settings.
• A Joyful Celebration: The day continues with a celebration. You can choose what feels right for your family, whether it’s an elegant high tea in the Magnolia House, a casual garden picnic, or a wine and cheese gathering as the sun sets.
• A Meaningful Closing: To end the day, everyone gathers one last time at the memorial tree for a final blessing or group moment. It’s a time to look forward, with the tree serving as a beautiful backdrop for lasting family photos and a promise to return to watch the legacy grow.

Amy, who planted a Living Legacy Tree from her parents’ ashes, reflected: “I was thinking about treating the ashes of our parents, so I thought what’s the best way to our parents, to the environment, to us as well. Now after planting, we can see the tree as days go by, see how beautiful our parents grow into.”

Creating Your Living Legacy at Mornington Green

Now let’s talk about how your living funeral is a memorial tree. Don’t worry, here, you are creating a living legacy with a scientific background, beauty, connection, and pre-planning advantage that brings a new meaning of life. 

At Mornington Green, there’s a unique scientific process that transforms cremated ashes into nutrients. Starting from the challenge on how untreated ashes could harm the environment to an eco-friendly solution. 

The Challenge: Untreated ashes are toxic to both plants and soil because of their extremely high pH (like bleach) and salt content.

The Solution: A special treatment is conducted to turn the problem into a solution. This way, you’ll learn how Mornington Green shares a secret to a breathing legacy. The process includes:

• Balances the pH: Lowers the pH from a harmful level to one that is perfect for healthy soil.
• Reduces Salt Content: Removes damaging salts that stop trees from absorbing water and nutrients.
• Introduce Biological Interaction: Infuses the ashes with beneficial microorganisms and fungi to create rich tree food.
• Creates a Slow-Release Feed: Provides a steady source of nourishment for over seven years to ensure your tree thrives.
• Ensures a True Connection: Allows the ashes to be safely absorbed and literally become part of the tree.

Dr. Mary Cole, the scientist behind the treatment, explains: “The scientifically-backed process ensures that memorial trees don’t just survive, but flourish, live on and pass that life on to the next life. We make heritage through this.”

Next, a beautiful garden for all seasons. Imagine a place that is stunning no matter when you visit. The gardens are professionally designed to be beautiful all year round. You can enjoy magnificent cherry blossoms in the spring, vibrant flowering gums in the summer, brilliant maple leaves in autumn, and peaceful evergreens in the winter. There is always something new and beautiful to see. Let’s take a look to what Mornington Green offers you:

• Spring: Cherry blossoms, magnolias, and flowering pears creating magnificent displays
• Summer: Jacarandas, crepe myrtles, and flowering gums providing vibrant colors
• Autumn: Japanese maples, liquidambars, and oak trees offering brilliant foliage
• Winter: Evergreens, camellias, and flowering wattles maintaining garden interest

How about the community to share it with? When you choose a memorial here, you’re not alone. You become part of a welcoming community of over 1,500 families. It’s a place to connect with others who also value family, nature, and creating a lasting legacy. You can even join in on seasonal garden events and celebrations.

At last, the peace of mind of pre-planning your memorial tree. You also have the option to plan ahead, which brings incredible peace of mind. Pre-planning allows you to choose your own memorial tree and watch it grow over the years. By making these decisions now, you reduce the emotional and financial stress on your family later on and ensure your final wishes are perfectly understood. 

Eve Burchell and her husband, Rex, made a special choice together. They decided to pre-plant a memorial tree, a way to ensure Rex’s legacy would be part of the natural world he cherished so deeply. It was Rex’s choice, and for Eve, that makes it wonderful.

Today, Eve finds a unique comfort in visiting the garden. It is not a place of sadness, but one of life and growth. She says it’s lovely to see their tree getting stronger, and in its quiet way, she can see Rex in it, still helping things grow. That connection brings her a warm and good feeling, knowing that her husband remains a living part of the world he loved.

Getting Started with Your Living Funeral Planning

Ready to explore living funeral options at Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens? Our compassionate team understands the emotional complexity of planning end-of-life celebrations and provides comprehensive support throughout your entire journey.

Contact Mornington Green Living Legacy Gardens:

• Phone: (03) 9059 4959
• Email: contact@morningtongreen.com.au
• Address: 125 Tyabb-Tooradin Road, Somerville VIC 3912
• Website: morningtongreen.com.au