This project is now closed. We would like to thank everyone who participated and shared their feedback. While updates will no longer be posted here, you can explore our active initiatives by visiting Shape Your Ipswich.

Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery is a place of deep significance for the Ipswich community. Since opening in 1971, it has grown into the city’s largest and most utilised cemetery. Initially managed by the Ipswich Cemetery Trust, Ipswich City Council became the trustee in 1979. The site accommodates over 14,800 burials and ashes placements, primarily in open lawn areas.

Surrounded by the protected Melaleuca irbyana forest, Ebenezer Creek, the Cunningham Highway, and private property, the site faces ongoing challenges including flood-prone areas and ecological restrictions limiting future burial expansion.

Council sought feedback on the preliminary concept master plan for Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery on a range of proposed features and improvements, including natural burial areas, memorial gardens and walks, and upgraded visitor facilities.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback on the preliminary concept master plan for Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery. Your feedback has now been reviewed.

Your input will help shape a master plan that reflects the needs and values of our community.

See a summary of what you shared with us or read the Community Engagement Report.

Preliminary concept master plan map

The map below illustrates the preliminary concept master plan for Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery. It provides a visual overview of the proposed layout, including key landscape zones, pathways, and areas of ecological and recreational interest. Highlighted features such as planting zones, protected forest areas, and potential development sites are marked to support community understanding and feedback. This map serves as a foundational tool for visualising how the proposed design elements will be integrated across the site.

Please note, images have been used for illustrative purposes and the final plan may differ.

The plan introduces several new proposed features to enhance the cemetery experience:

• tree bosques that provide options of new burial or ashes internment areas
• space for quiet reflection incorporating water features and enhanced memorial gardens
• establishment of areas for monumental graves
• expanded memorial gardens and walks, natural bushland burial or ashes internment areas, and family-friendly spaces like the Nursery area
• upgraded paths, carparks, and water management systems to improve safety and comfort

Your feedback can help shape:

• the look and feel of new spaces—materials, planting choices, seating, and artwork
• how new areas like the proposed timber pavilion are used by the community
• ideas to improve accessibility and visitor experience
• preferences for memorial styles and how families engage with the space.

What we asked from you:

We asked to hear your thoughts on the proposed changes. What do you love? What could be improved? How can these spaces better support reflection, remembrance, and community connection?

Your voice helps to ensure this plan reflects the values and needs of the people who visit, grieve, and remember here.

Legend:

🔵 Proposed areas – Blue dots highlight areas where new features or changes are being considered. Community perspectives were welcomed to help guide future decisions.

🔴 Established areas – Red dots indicate existing features that are currently not under review, but observations or suggestions were still valued.

More than 100 community members shared their views on how the Warrill Park Lawn cemetery should evolve to better support remembrance, reflection and community connection. We also heard from local industry stakeholders, cultural groups and council specialists to ensure a broad range of perspectives were considered. Below is a summary of what we heard and how your feedback helped shape the final plan.

What we heard

• people want the cemetery to feel natural, calm and peaceful, with more native plants
• quiet spaces for reflection are important, including shade, seating and comfort
• there is strong support for walking paths and memorial gardens to improve access and the visitor experience
• many people want gathering spaces for services and family use
• people also want existing areas improved, especially maintenance, drainage and accessibility
• views were mixed on more traditional features such as monumental graves.

How your feedback shaped the plan

🌿 A more natural setting

The plan includes more landscaped areas, native planting and low-impact design to create a calmer, more natural place.

This responds to strong support for native vegetation (85%) and natural burial areas (76%).

🌳 Comfort and gathering spaces

New shelters, seating and shaded areas have been added, along with a larger outdoor space for services and community use.

This reflects the community’s strong preference for shade (81%) and seating (79%).

♿ Better access and connections

New pathways and a central Memorial Way will make it easier to move through the site and connect key spaces.

This responds to strong support for walking paths and memorial gardens (75%).

🕊️ Spaces for reflection

Quiet garden areas, landscaped terraces and water features have been included to support reflection and remembrance.

This reflects feedback asking for peaceful, calming spaces, including interest in water features.

🛠️ Improving existing areas

Older burial areas will be upgraded, with improvements to layout, accessibility and infrastructure.

This responds to very strong support for improving existing areas (92%).

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback and helped shape the Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery Master Plan. You can now view the final master plan here: View the master plan.

You can also read the full report in the Community Engagement Report.

The community was invited to submit their responses to the survey questions using one of the engagement channels below:

• completing our online survey below
• submitting a hard copy survey
• emailing us directly at communityengagement@ipswich.qld.gov.au
• calling our Contact Centre at 3810 6666.