Headstones & monuments in Sydney
A headstone or monument is the memorial that marks a grave, made and installed by a monumental mason rather than the cemetery. Here is a plain guide to the forms it takes, from a flush lawn plaque to a full monument or mausoleum crypt, what each costs, and how to arrange one in Sydney.
Types of headstone and monument
Which forms are allowed depends on the cemetery section. Many lawn sections permit only a flush plaque; monumental sections allow upright headstones and full monuments.
Headstone & base monuments
The upright stone that stands at the head of the grave.
Lawn monuments
A plaque or low monument on a lawn grave, the most common memorial today.
Ledger monuments
A full slab covering the grave, traditional and low-profile.
Full monuments
The complete memorial: headstone, base and covering over the grave.
Cemetery plaques
A cast bronze or engraved granite plaque, for lawn graves, niches and gardens.
Crypts & mausoleums
Above-ground entombment: what a crypt is, who chooses one, and what the stonework involves.
Ashes memorials
Niches, gardens, ashes graves or scattering: the choices for ashes, and what each involves.
What a headstone costs
Indicative Sydney figures. The final price depends on the material, size, carving and inscription.
Materials, design and inscriptions
Granite is the most common and hard-wearing choice; marble is traditional but softer; sandstone appears in heritage work. The inscription carries the name, dates and any epitaph, and can include a photograph or a motif. Community tradition often shapes the design.
Headstone designs, inscriptions and wording →Monument services
A mason also maintains and repairs existing memorials, and adds to them over time.
Headstones by community
Designs, symbolism and customs vary by community. Guides to the traditions we serve most often:
How to arrange a headstone
You choose your own monumental mason and are not obliged to use one recommended by the funeral director or cemetery. The mason must be approved to work at your cemetery, lodges the permit, and works to the section rules. Allow a few weeks to a few months for the work, and remember a new grave usually needs time to settle first.
How to choose a monumental mason →Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a headstone cost in Sydney?
As an indicative guide, a lawn monument or plaque runs about $1,500 to $7,000, a simple ledger around $3,000 to $3,500, a full single monument from about $12,000, and a double from about $15,000. Material, size, carving and the inscription move the figure.
Who makes and installs the headstone?
A monumental mason, not the cemetery or the funeral director. You engage the mason directly and can compare quotes. The mason must be approved to work at your cemetery and lodges the permit for you.
How long after a funeral do you put up a headstone?
There is no fixed rule. Many families arrange the headstone within six to twelve months, partly because a new grave needs time to settle before a monument is set. Several traditions mark the setting or unveiling around the first anniversary.
Is the headstone included in the cemetery or burial cost?
No. The cemetery charges for the plot and the burial. The headstone is a separate cost, quoted by a monumental mason.