Disturbing act forces council to erect signs at citys public gardens
A Queensland council has been forced to erect signs at a popular rose garden in a bid to stop people from scattering human remains there.
A Queensland council has been forced to erect signs at a popular rose garden in a bid to stop people from scattering human remains there.
Townsville City Council has placed signs throughout Queens Gardens after catching wind of the disturbing trend among mourners.
The botanical garden is located in the citys North Ward at the base of Castle Hill, only a short walk from the town centre and the foreshore.
The scattering of cremated remains is not permitted in the gardens, the signs read.
Any ashes deposited will be removed.
A council spokesperson confirmed the signage had been put in place following repeated instances of human remains being scattered or discarded in the gardens.
Council asks that community members refrain from discarding ashes in public places as finding human remains of varying levels can be extremely confronting and emotionally upsetting for both council staff and the broader community, they told the Townsville Bulletin.
Councils gardeners spend a great deal of time and place a lot of pride tending to our botanical gardens, and unfortunately cremated remains being scattered on plants and soils can be detrimental to their health.
Townsville City Council has placed signs (pictured) throughout Queens Gardens after catching wind of the disturbing trend among mourners
In Queensland, it is generally legal to scatter ashes and to hold a small, private ceremony on public land or water.
Exceptions do apply, however, including on commonwealth and marine reserves for which a permit is required.
The news of the signage spread on social media, with one Aussie asking: Why would you want to spread someones ashes in a public park?
Lets go for a picnic, kid drops some food on the grass and picks it up and eats it, along with someones dead grandma.
Surely, there are better places to do this.
Others questioned how the council intended to collect the ashes and what would be done with them once they had been removed.
How often is this occurring for there to be a need for a sign, and how do they plan to remove them? one woman asked.
Larry Newman, co-executive of Morleys Funeral Home, told Daily Mail Australia there were lots of better options for spreading remains.
A spokesperson for the council said the confronting behaviour had occurred several times
Mr Newman suggested that depositing ashes in a public garden could have negative health impacts for visitors.
If a child gets the ashes on their fingers and then breathes it is, its similar to breathing in concrete, he said.
A lot of visitors wouldnt even realise what they are.
He said a number of nearby churches had designated sites for ashes.
While a number of Townsville locals may have a sentimental attachment to the Queens Gardens, Mr Newman said it was worth finding a safe location where their loved ones remains would not be at risk of removal.
He said the ocean was a popular choice for his clients, though beaches can be a grey area given the risks for other visitors.
Mourners looking for a more extravagant option can have their loved ones remains pressed into a diamond or stowed away on a Space X flight, he said.
A lot of people like to go out with a bang.
Townsville City Council was contacted by Daily Mail Australia.