A proposal to convert the Carnarvon Golf Course in Auburn, Sydney, into a cemetery has sparked significant backlash from local officials. On Tuesday, the government will formally present the plan, which has been criticized as “lazy and short-sighted” by local Labor Member of Parliament Lynda Voltz. The consultation period for the project will last eight weeks, but Voltz argues that the government has already made its decision.
“It’s hardly consultation; they’ve made their decision,” Voltz stated in an interview with the ABC. She expressed skepticism about the process, suggesting that no other sites are being considered for the cemetery, despite the pressing need for burial spaces in the region.
Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP), the organization managing government-owned cemeteries, has identified Carnarvon as its preferred location for a “modern memorial park.” The site is adjacent to the existing Rookwood Cemetery, which facilitates cost savings as the government already owns the land.
While the need for additional burial space in Sydney is urgent—particularly as Islamic burial plots at Rookwood are projected to run out within three years and Armenian Orthodox plots at Macquarie Park are expected to be exhausted in just two and a half years—Voltz warns against viewing the Carnarvon site as a simple solution. “They think they can take this land for nothing and they don’t have to pay for it,” she remarked.
This proposal raises concerns about the loss of green space in the local area. Voltz questioned why Lidcombe should bear the burden of being Sydney’s burial site, fearing that if the golf course is converted, nearby sporting fields might be next. “They say they’re only going for the golf course. But once the golf course is full, there is no way the soccer fields aren’t going,” she asserted.
MMP’s plan for the Carnarvon site includes features such as green spaces and walking paths for community use. MMP CEO Denise Ora emphasized the vision of creating a space that meets burial needs while also serving the public. “Our vision for the Carnarvon site is to create a modern memorial park that not only meets essential burial needs but provides a public space for the whole community,” Ora stated.
Local residents, especially from the Asian community, have expressed discomfort with the idea of living in proximity to burial sites. Voltz noted that the conversion would leave some residents sandwiched between Rookwood Cemetery to the east and Carnarvon to the west, making it socially and culturally inappropriate for many.
The Carnarvon Golf Club, which operates under a lease that extends until 2035, has voiced concerns about the proposal. Adam McGregor, the club’s general manager, indicated that members feel uncertain about their future. “We were told by Minister Steve Kamper that we were safe until 2035. But I guess I’m concerned with only one option being offered for cemetery space,” he remarked. McGregor pointed out that if the consultation were truly genuine, alternative sites should have been considered.
Kamper has clarified that the lease cannot be terminated without mutual agreement, yet the growing urgency for additional burial spaces continues to loom large. “We got into this mess because successive governments put this in the too hard basket. Now we are at a point where we can’t afford not to act,” he concluded.
As the consultation period unfolds, the community remains divided over the future of the Carnarvon Golf Course and its potential transformation into a cemetery, reflecting broader challenges in addressing Sydney’s burial space crisis.
