Some adventurous people have arranged do-it-yourself funerals for less than $500. However, the funeral costs for most New South Wales residents are in the range of $5000 - $10,000. Families often do not feel comfortable negotiating the price of funerals while they are grieving. However, funeral directors will provide itemised costs if requested, for those parts of a funeral that a family may not want to organise. Many schemes are also available for pre-arranged funerals. Just as there is a diversity of cultural practices surrounding death, so is there a diversity of services offered by funeral directors. Some funeral directors in New South Wales are small family businesses, others are part of large multinational companies that own crematoria, cemeteries and multiple funeral homes operating under several different brands.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2008
