A group of local girls are asking for the community’s support after their friend’s grave had ornaments and artificial flowers removed in the name of “safety concerns”.
Chloe Kessell, Maddie Kalkhoven and Angelina Hocking have started a petition after their friend, Aroha Tupaea, sadly passed away from an unexpected cardiac arrest in 2022.
Tupaea has been laid to rest at Pinegrove Memorial Park in Minchinbury where her friends and family routinely place personal ornaments and artificial flowers on her grave, only for them to be removed and discarded by staff.
A fresh flower only policy is in place at Pinegrove, which a is a concern for Tupaea’s friends as they understand it can become costly for families to maintain consistent real flowers, often leaving the grave without any tribute at all.
“The ornament that was on her grave was special to us, it was something I used to remember her by and just because it meant nothing to the cemetery doesn’t mean it didn’t mean something to someone else,” Hocking said.
“The grave used to be a place I could respect, love, cherish and remember the life of Aroha, but the cemetery has only made it impossible to do so.”
The girls are asking for better support for grieving families from the NSW Government and for them to consider implementing legislation that protects families’ right to memorialise their loved ones with personal touches.
Badgerys Creek MP Tanya Davies has thrown her support behind the petition and congratulated the girls on their efforts.
“It’s inspiring that these young women are fighting so hard to have the right to honour their friend Aroha,” Davies said.
“I encourage all who share these views to sign the petition.”
The removal of items from graves is justified by Pinegrove as a matter of maintenance and safety.
“Pinegrove Memorial Park respects the need of all families to remember and honour their loved ones,” a spokesperson for Pinegrove Memorial Park said.
“Our ornamentation policy is in place to protect the safety of workers and visitors and to ensure we can meet our maintenance standards and obligations to provide a place of beauty for all families.
“Items that pose safety risks include and are not limited to; artificial flowers, statues, permanent wreaths or floral sprays, boxes, shells and toys.
“These items could pose risks such as tripping hazards or glass breakage, while the metal wires in artificial flowers can get caught in mowing and lawn care equipment, creating potential hazards.
“Such policies are common across the industry for operators of both public and private cemeteries.
“Ornamentation of this nature can also inhibit us from meeting our Park maintenance and standards obligations. We have a duty to ensure our cemeteries are maintained with regard to certain aesthetic principles in the interests of all those whose loved ones are within our parks, especially neighbouring gravesites and memorials.
“As part of our policy, we also provide public notification of scheduled ornamentation clean-up activities.
“Our ornamentation policies are available on the Pinegrove Memorial Park website and are explained to families as part of our contract agreement process. They are included in the terms and conditions of all contracts.”
However, the Weekender has confirmed that at cemeteries run by Penrith City Council including Penrith, St Marys and Emu Plains General Cemetery, families are not restricted in the items they can place as long as they are not glass or crockery.
“Staff do not remove flowers or ornaments at any cemetery operated by Penrith City Council,” a spokesperson said.
“Families and friends are able to commemorate the memory of their loved ones within the boundaries of the grave site which keep the areas safe, respectful and attractive for all families and visitors.
“The only restriction in place is that we ask families not to use glass or crockery vases due to their tendency to fall and break creating a safety hazard for visitors and maintenance staff.”
To view and sign the petition visit http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePetition-details.aspx?q=IQwonrY96tkGspfxBuQkcA.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.