NDAN - Natural Death Advocacy Network

What is natural burial?

Natural burial is the practice of burying a body in the earth, in a manner which allows for natural decomposition with minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

While natural burial grounds first emerged in England in 1980’s and now are found throughout the UK and USA, their emergence in Australia has been more recent.

You can find a list of natural burial ground offerings on our website (www.ndan.com.au). NDAN offers membership to Natural Burial Grounds who agree to our Standards and Code of Conduct.

Happening next week! Ashes; Expanding options and approaches.

The rates of cremation have increased dramatically the last few decades and we know that not everyone wants to be buried. This increase has left many people asking, what do we do, how do we create meaning-making and memorialise our peoples ashes? Some people in Australia are offering new and unique ways of doing just that and they are going to share these with us in this session.

Join us online on 25-June to hear from our guest panelists for this event are Craig Hull from Ashes to Ashes Fireworks Funerals and Peter Russell from Reterniti.

UPDATE: Hayley Bangham from Conscious Clay - Ceramic with ash glazes - has needed to withdraw due to personal circumstances, we wish her all the very best.

Our event will go on!

Bookings are essential via the following link - https://www.trybooking.com/DLJCV

Do you have some questions regarding Natural Death? Head to our website and you may find some answers - especially to our FAQs.

https://ndan.com.au/faqs

NDAN Founder, Dr. Pia Interlandi, published her PhD which remains one of the only studies to address decomposition rates in the context of Natural Burial. Colloquially referred to as ‘The Pig Project’, the work was made into a documentary and shows the unseen, underground, processes that the body undergoes in natural burial.

Bookings are now open for our next event - Ashes; Expanding options and approaches.
UPDATE: Hayley Bangham from Conscious Clay - Ceramic with ash glazes - has needed to withdraw due to personal circumstances, we wish her all the very best.
Our event will go on!
The rates of cremation have increased dramatically the last few decades and we know that not everyone wants to be buried. This increase has left many people asking, what do we do, how do we create meaning-making and memorialise our peoples ashes? Some people in Australia are offering new and unique ways of doing just that and they are going to share these with us in this session.
Join us online on 25-June to hear from our guest panelists for this event are Craig Hull from Ashes to Ashes Fireworks Funerals and Peter Russell from Reterniti.
Bookings are essential via the following link - https://www.trybooking.com/DLJCV

Are you a Member of NDAN?

By becoming a member you become an NDAN supporting advocate.

Your membership will directly help us to grow as a network and continue our advocacy efforts.

Members will receive discounts to any NDAN hosted events and courses, our bi-annually newsletter – with the opportunity to be profiled, use of the NDAN members logo, your events listed as member events on our website, & a vote at the Annual General Meetings.

We would love to have you on board. Visit our website (www.ndan.com.au) to learn more and sign up today.

Where Can You Have A Natural Burial?

Natural burial is the practice of burying a human body in the earth, in a manner that allows for natural decomposition with minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem. -Natural Death Advocacy Network (NDAN)

There are a growing number of cemeteries and Councils who are promoting natural or bushland burial alternatives within their community.

In 2020, NDAN did a survey of natural burial ground offerings in Australia, at that time there were 14 sites. When we revisited this in 2024, the number had doubled. This is a growing offering, with a strong community-driven push for mainstream services to develop it as a viable option.

Some of these offerings can be confusing, with each place offering something slightly different. The confusion has been further compounded by the absence of a standard definition of what constitutes a natural burial in Australia. With no clear, unified definition, NDAN has taken steps to establish what we consider to be a best practice standard for a natural burial.

Visit our website (https://ndan.com.au/resources/natural-burial-grounds) to learn more.

If you would like to know more, please send us an email and we will happy to talk through any questions.

Bookings are now open for our next event - Ashes; Expanding options and approaches.

The rates of cremation have increased dramatically the last few decades and we know that not everyone wants to be buried. This increase has left many people asking, what do we do, how do we create meaning-making and memorialise our peoples ashes? Some people in Australia are offering new and unique ways of doing just that and they are going to share these with us in this session.

Join us online on 25-June to hear from our guest panelists for this event are Hayley Bangham from Conscious Clay - Ceramic with ash glazes, Craig Hull from Ashes to Ashes Fireworks Funerals and Peter Russell from Reterniti.

Bookings are essential via the following link - https://www.trybooking.com/DLJCV

In Australia, a 'home funeral' has become a broad term for family and/or community led home-based care of a person from the time of death until the disposition of their body. This may involve caring for the body at home, holding the funeral ceremony at home, or both—and often encourages environmentally conscious practices and decisions.

Visit our website (www.ndan.com.au) to download our flyer via the FAQ page.

At NDAN, our mission is to provide individuals, families and communities with professional, creative and informed assistance to choose meaningful, humane and ecological pathways at the end of life. In support of this, we hold regular events about covering many topics associated with Natural Death.

Checkout our website (link in our bio) for our upcoming events and join in for any event that interests you.