Formed earlier this year, Wānaka Natural Burials (WNB) is hoping to work with the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) on introducing full-natural burials as an option to the Wānaka Cemetery.
Group co-founder Liz Maluschnig said the process followed the same steps as a traditional burial, albeit with an added focus on sustainability.
"Whatever the body is placed in ... it needs to be made of natural fabric or materials. And the grave is shallow, so they’re three feet [90cm], not six feet.
At three feet there are lots of micro-organisms that will come and break down the body and return it to soil."
Crucially, the process involved no embalming, a concept she hoped would become more commonly accepted.
"It’s become just a natural thing — overnight, you get embalmed. And so we’re just saying ‘Why? And do you need to? Is there a more earth-friendly way of doing this?"’
While the group explored the possibility of establishing a natural burial site on private land, New Zealand law requires burials take place at either council or denominational cemeteries.
The group met QLDC parks officer for cemeteries and heritage Tarsy Koentges, and said she was "very supportive" in helping explore how full-natural burials could be managed at the Wānaka Cemetery.
"Expanding service options at cemeteries in line with changing attitudes towards final disposition choices is important for all councils to consider," Ms Koentges said.
The council marked out a 2100sqm site for natural burials at the Wānaka Cemetery in 2016, but radar surveys had since revealed unmarked graves that extended "outside the known historical boundary" of the cemetery’s oldest section, Pembroke Cemetery.
"We’ll be working with the Upper Clutha Historical Records Society ... to try and identify the extent of the older cemetery and hopefully learn why there may have been some outlier burials."
The investigation would need to be completed before any natural burials could be completed on the site. She hoped to use the time building local enthusiasm.
"If council do it, our idea would be to raise awareness in the community to say ‘Yes, we really want this’.
WNB will have a presence at Wānaka’s official Matariki event at the Dinosaur Park next Friday, where representatives will give out information on full-natural burials.
Written by Regan Harris
