When someone dies, the people left behind can be in a state of shock, grief and a general sense of overwhelm can cocoon them from the world around. So very often, whether intended or not, people are misled, misinformed, and taken advantage of. The best way to combat this is to have open conversations about death, the processes around death, and most importantly, being prepared for death.
We have written a detailed article about everything from the moment of death to receiving the death certificate, which you can read here.
At Rest Funerals & Death Care, we are on a mission to bring things back to basics. We want to help people who want to;
- have a more affordable funeral
- to die at home
- keep their person at home longer after they have died
- take an active role in a ritualistic washing and dressing (with the support of our resident doula)
- know what they can do themselves in regard to a funeral
- take a more active role in the process
We encourage families to take an active role where they want to, with ritualistic washing and dressing at home and can assist with the services of our resident end of life doula. Other than those services provided in the home of the deceased or the home of the family, we do not offer further viewing, embalming or reconstruction.
We service all of the Southern Downs Regional Council, Goondiwini Shire Council and Tenterfield Shire Council Areas. A more detailed list and map can be found on the Service Area page.
Depending on the location and scheduling we will use one of two government run crematoriums, Brisbane City Council at Mt Gravatt, City of Ipswich at Warrill Park. We can also use the amazing team at Newhaven Funerals at Stapylton.
Yes, yes and yes… As mentioned above, we are all for dying at home and are members of the Australian Home Funeral Alliance. Even if there have been circumstances around the death of a loved one that you may at first feel that it wouldn’t possible, know that it is. In situations where the coroner is involved, you can then have your loved one brought home with a cooling plate, so that you can have your time. That is your precious time before the final act of burial or cremation and you are legally allowed to have it.
In some European countries (particularly the Netherlands), standing vigil with loved ones in their own homes is part a parcel with death and dying. With the help of tools like a cooling plate, the body can be kept cold so that family and friends can have an otherwise missed opportunity, to say goodbye in their own way. Using these tools, family members can also experience older traditions we as a society have forgotten, like ceremonial washing of the body.
Please note that the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages Queensland (BDM) provides an official death certificate based on the information provided to us by the client, next of kin or official person acting on behalf of the client. While not all the information on the Personal Details form is required, the more the better.
The certificate usually takes 3-4 weeks from the date of cremation or burial, however can take longer depending on the load experienced by BDM. We are unable to expedite this process and appreciate your patience.
Simply put, a DaisyBox is a cardboard coffin. One of the most environmentally friendly options available at the moment. They are highly customisable, can be decorated in many ways and this part can even help with the grieving process. Read more about DaisyBox
Yes. We can deliver the DaisyBox to you in advance if you need some time to decorate. In fact, we encourage it.
The cheapest funeral is a direct cremation. Other names or terms for this are;
- bare cremation
- simple cremation
- unattended cremation
- no service cremation
No you don't. There is no requirement in Queensland to have a funeral director at any stage of the process. A common stumbling block for people wanting to DIY a funeral is the crematorium as they may only receive from a funeral director. If you encounter this, please get in touch and we will do what we can to help you.
Yes you can. For the service we offer right now, we would recommend investing in a funeral bond. That said, if you are unsure you can still preplan a funeral with us so that we have all the answers to the questions that can often become overwhelming for family when the time comes. Just use the form on our website to get in touch and we can get the ball rolling.
You certainly can. A prepaid funeral is a great way to save your family from making a lot of decisions at what is often a difficult time. Unlike funeral insurance, a Prepaid Funeral Bond is a fixed amount that is held in a fund, a little bit like superannuation. It's there for your funeral and once it's paid in full (eg. $2200-$3000 for most simple offerings) there is nothing left to worry about. When you organise a funeral bond with Rest and Australian Unity, there are no ongoing premiums or fees. You can learn more about our Pre-paid Funeral options here.
Probate is the legal process, usually required to validate and confirm that a deceased’s Will is the last legally valid Will. Grant of probate is issued by the Supreme Court of Queensland and also confirms that the executor named in the Will have the ability to handle the estate of the deceased person. For more information visit Queensland Probate.
Not everyone advertises the fact that they have lost a loved one, and we all need to respect the individual choices that people make when planning their own funeral or that of a loved one.
Many people use the Facebook Page - Warwick and District Funeral Notices It is free to use by anyone that is a member of the group.
We do not publish anything unless we are requested to do so. In that case we will create a page for the person on our Tributes site with a form so that friends and family can send a personal message of condolence. We do not allow commenting on our posts - for various reasons - so this private form is a great way to communicate directly with the family, without the expectation of a reply.
Coffins, caskets or trundles (non enclosed tray) must be constructed of cardboard, timber or manufactured wood products.
- no PVC
- no metal linings or inserts
- no innerspring, latex rubber or PVC mattress / pillows
- only ferrous (magnet attracting) metal screws / nails to be used
When it comes to body coverings, clothing or shroud, the more natural the better. Silks, wool, cotton, leather are best. Polyester garments are acceptable.
- no materials containing Poly-vinyl acetate or PVC
- no latex based rubber or plastic (eg. wet suit materials, fishing gear)
- no rubber / plastic soles or uppers of shoes or sandals / slippers (eg. no work boots, gumboots)
When it comes to prosthetic limbs, the best course of action is to notify us and provide as much information as possible. We will notify the crematorium and they will let us know what the best course of action is.
As part of the documentation and application process we are required to request permission to cremate. This includes an inspection by an independent doctor. They would be looking for the following items that cannot be cremated;
- cardiac defibrillator, pacemaker, drug infusions pump
- irradiated metal pellets
If you know of these, it is best to let us know so that we can advise and arrange for the removal.
Unless you have chosen another, the ashes are returned in a fairly basic container as pictured.
To open the container, a flat head screwdriver will enable the lid to be pried away.
The video below includes a transcript.
When the ashes are returned, what you have is simply powdered or crushed bone. The cremator is so hot that the casket / coffin and any clothes the deceased is wearing will disappear and do not come back as ashes. The cremated remaining bone is cooled, ground to a powder and placed in the ashes container.