Council endorses Carr Villa Masterplan

Published on 20 June 2025

The City of Launceston has formally endorsed the Carr Villa Memorial Park Masterplan, setting a clear and sustainable vision for the future of one of Tasmania’s most significant cemetery and crematorium sites.

For nearly 120 years, Carr Villa Memorial Park has served as Launceston’s principal cemetery.

The endorsed Masterplan provides a long-term, forward-thinking strategy that balances future interment needs with the protection of the site’s environmental, cultural, and community values.

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said the Masterplan reflected extensive community and stakeholder consultation, alongside expert environmental and planning advice. “Carr Villa Memorial Park is a place of deep cultural and personal significance for many in our community,” Mayor Garwood said.

“We thank everyone who contributed to the consultation process. This input helped shape a respectful and balanced plan that upholds the site’s primary purpose while enhancing its environmental stewardship and cultural relevance.”

Key features of the Masterplan include:

• A clear strategy to ensure future interment capacity, supporting Carr Villa’s ongoing role in serving the community the next 50 years.

• Practical improvements to enhance the visitor experience, including additional reflection seating, improved signage and wayfinding, upgraded accessible toilets, and a dedicated reflection space near the Children’s Cemetery.

• Ongoing community engagement to guide future burial and ash placement needs, ensuring inclusive and culturally safe development.

• A commitment that any future development will be based on demonstrated community need and subject to further Council consideration, environmental assessment, and planning approval.

• Strengthened protection and care of remnant bushland, supported by the Carr Villa Bushland Management Plan.

• Enhanced community partnerships to support conservation of heritage and environmental values, while enriching the visitor experience.

Mayor Garwood also acknowledged the strong community feedback, particularly regarding protection of the native bushland.

“We’ve listened to our community’s concerns and are committed to preserving the Flora Reserve and minimising environmental impacts through careful planning and ongoing conservation,” he said. In response to this feedback, the Masterplan has been refined to:

• Clearly state that no widespread clearing is proposed, and that any future development will require rigorous environmental, cultural, and community assessment.

• Emphasise the Bushland Management Plan’s role in protecting and enhancing remnant vegetation.

• Acknowledge that changing interment trends, such as increased cremation rates, may reduce or delay the need for expansion, potentially extending Carr Villa’s capacity well beyond current forecasts.

“Any future development will be subject to further Council approval, including thorough environmental and planning assessments,” Mayor Garwood added.

"The City of Launceston thanks the community for their valuable input, which has shaped a Masterplan that honours Carr Villa’s legacy while responsibly planning for its future."