The choice of funeral can be an emotional issue, often reflecting religious and ethnic beliefs.
With a burial the deceased and their coffin/casket is laid to rest in the ground in a cemetery, usually with a headstone or monument to mark the location.
A cremation takes place in a crematorium with the deceased and their coffin/casket placed into a cremator, reducing to ashes. The ashes are then returned to the applicant who authorised the cremation.
Entombment takes place in a mausoleum, an above ground structure that contains concrete or stone crypts in which the deceased and their coffin/casket is placed.
By law, there are three means of disposition:
* Burial, in a recognised burial place with new grave (or a reopened, existing grave)
A grave is normally able to contain more than one coffin (2-3, subject to approval).
Most cemeteries have lawn sections where smaller headstones can be erected and monumental sections where approved monuments can be erected over the grave. If the grave used is to be reopened from a previous burial the existing headstone may need to be fully or partially removed to allow access for this burial. Some Lawn cemeteries only permit a plaque in the grass, nothing above ground. Natural burial areas are available at selected cemeteries. Please refer to link below:
http://www.mcb.wa.gov.au/our-cemeteries/fremantle-cemetery/natural-burials
* Cremation, at a crematorium
The cremation procedure can only take place where a crematorium exists.
The act of cremation takes place once the coffin is committed and only one coffin is cremated at a time. Individual ashes are then available to the applicant for memorialisation or scattering
* Entombment, in a mausoleum
Entombment in a mausoleum is the preferred resting place in some cultures.
The mausoleum is constructed above ground and allows the coffin to be placed into a crypt which is then sealed. The mausoleum is a unique type of interment, often within a courtyard-style area at a Cemetery.
For further literature we suggest contacting the local selected cemeteries. http://www.mcb.wa.gov.au