News

What we heard

3 March 2026

Between December 2025 and February 2026, GMCT heard from community members, local residents, historians, faith leaders, volunteers, families and people who regularly use our memorial parks. Your feedback has helped us understand what matters most in how GMCT connects with communities.

Thank you again for your contributions and for helping us shape a more open, inclusive and community‑centred GMCT. A summary of what we heard is available below, and all participants have also been contacted directly.

How we heard from you

Who we heard from

  • Representatives from Friends Groups, historical societies, women’s groups and interfaith networks
  • Participants from various backgrounds including Italian, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Columbian, Greek, Anglo and Macedonian
  • Primarily female‑identifying participants

Key themes

Participants clearly supported using the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum to match the right level of engagement to the right project:

  • Inform / Consult for routine operations, maintenance or neighbour‑impacting works
  • Involve / Collaborate for major developments, cultural facilities or projects requiring deep expertise

Across all levels, people emphasised the importance of transparency, clarity and seeing evidence of “you said, we did”.

People value cemeteries as places for reflection, walking, nature and history. Many want greener, safer and more welcoming spaces with shade, biodiversity and gentle recreational activities. Clear etiquette guidance was seen as essential.

Participants expressed strong interest in:

  • Guided history tours, walking trails and storytelling
  • Cultural festivals, art exhibitions and community gatherings
  • Nature‑based and wellbeing activities
  • Practical “death education” and support for navigating funerals and memorialisation

People want early, clear and localised updates (both in person and online) using plain language and culturally accessible formats. Many said they often don’t know what GMCT offers or how to find out about it.

Feedback included requests for:

  • Greater transparency about grounds maintenance and grave care
  • Simple handouts when arranging funerals or choosing graves
  • Better onsite presence and clearer signage
  • Improved cemetery records and online navigation

There is strong support for raising awareness of culturally appropriate services, interfaith engagement and easier access to information for migrant communities about burial, cremation and memorial practices in Australia.

Participants showed enthusiasm for collaborations with Friends Groups, historians, schools, RSLs, Scouts and cultural organisations, along with volunteer opportunities and co‑designed community activities.

Anecdotes and workshop photos

Seven people in deep discussion seated around a square table with A3 documents and snacks in front of them
Person pointing to an A3 poster about an engagement method, with women watching to the side.
Small groups of people gathered around posters displayed on a wall.
Two older women seated next to each other smiling at the people nearby.
Standing man pointing at a whiteboard with four women standing and sitting near by watching.

What's next

All feedback is now being reviewed to inform GMCT’s new Community Engagement Framework, which will outline:

  • how and why we engage,
  • our commitments to the community, and
  • the level of influence community members can expect on different types of projects.

The Framework will be finalised and shared publicly by mid‑2026.

We also heard many excellent ideas for events, programs and site activations. These will be considered in our future programming across cemeteries and memorial parks.