Australia is running out of burial space, with new reports[1] warning major cities could reach capacity by 2036, and for many families, the cost and logistics of traditional graves are already becoming too much.
New research commissioned by Reterniti, a world first Cremation Stone crafted from ashes, reveals that 70% of Australians say relocation and rising burial costs are making gravesites harder to choose when it comes to honouring loved ones.
The findings highlight that the leading reasons Australians are no longer choosing traditional burials include families moving home too often for permanent burial locations to make sense (29%), burial being too expensive (25%), and cemeteries taking up too much land in growing cities (16%). Some respondents also reported that visiting graves can feel confronting rather than comforting (14%), pointing to a broader shift toward more flexible forms of remembrance.
While people are opting against burials, many are turning to modern alternatives, with Australians increasingly seeking more personal and portable ways to honour loved ones. In an interesting contrast, more than 7 in 10 (71%) say keeping ashes at home feels comforting, signalling a preference for proximity and connection. The data also highlights that families are becoming more open to shared remembrance across households, with nearly 6 in 10 Australians (58%) stating they would feel comfortable dividing ashes between family members.
Recently launched in Australia, Reterniti offers an alternative approach to post-cremation memorialisation by transforming ashes into a smooth, handheld Cremation Stone or Pebble designed to remain with families wherever they live or be placed somewhere meaningful.
Founder Peter Russell was inspired to create Reterniti after hearing his mother was 'visiting' his stepdad's grave by driving past and tooting the horn, which led to a realisation that burial doesn't suit every modern lifestyle. Russell says the research reflects a broader shift away from location-based remembrance.
"Traditional burial assumes families stay in one place, but that's no longer how Australians live.
"People relocate more often, live in apartments more frequently and have family spread across multiple cities. Memorials increasingly need to fit around real life rather than asking families to return to one fixed location," Russell shares.
As mobility continues to shape modern households, the findings suggest Australians are looking for memorial options that prioritise connection and flexibility, with many stating they would consider memorialising a loved one by planting a tree with their ashes (35%), having their ashes made into a Cremation Stone (28%), or getting a tattoo in their honour (19%).
LeAnn from regional Victoria is choosing to honour her late mother Lee who passed in early 2026 with 4 Reterniti pebbles she plans to place in meaningful locations to her mother and their family, including where she lived for most of her life in New Zealand, a national park close to her family, a family burial plot where other family members are buried, and one to be kept at home in Victoria with Leann. She says she is grateful to have a modern solution that allows her to honour her mother's wish of being left in meaningful locations in New Zealand, while still keeping a part of her close to home in Australia.
