There are five Council-owned and operated cemeteries and two privately-managed cemeteries in the Whakatāne District.
To find a person buried in one of the Council-owned cemeteries, use our Cemeteries Search.
Council owned and managed:
Hillcrest Cemetery is located on Ōhope Road, halfway between Whakatāne and Ohope.
The first burial recorded was in 1944, and its 5.6 hectares have been developed to cater for conventional burials, natural burials, and ash interments. A separate RSA section offers areas for burials and ash interments of Veterans.
The cemetery is located in a very peaceful area, with beautiful specimen trees and gardens surrounded by farmland. Council employs a full-time sexton to maintain the area.
Opening hours (daily):
| Summer: | 7 am - 7 pm | 1 Oct - 31 March |
|---|---|---|
| Winter: | 7 am - 6 pm | 1 April - 30 Sept |
Hillcrest Cemetery Overview - (PDF, 313 KB)
Hillcrest Crematorium is situated within the Hillcrest Cemetery, a lawn cemetery set on the hills between Whakatāne and Ōhope.
Opening hours (daily):
| Monday - Friday | 9 am - 4:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturdays and public holidays | 9 am - 4:30 pm |
| Not available on Sundays | - |
The Domain Road Cemetery is believed to be the first European-style cemetery established in the Whakatāne township. The first recorded burial here was in 1899, however, it is known to be older than that.
The cemetery is officially closed and plots are no longer for sale. Although closed, it is still possible to have ashes interred with an existing burial, this can be arranged with the Cemeteries Administrator.
Domain Road Cemetery Overview - (PDF, 187 KB)
Located on the outskirts of the township, Tāneatua Cemetery services the wider Tāneatua area. It's nestled on a hillside amongst a variety of mature trees.
The first recorded burial was in 1918.
Tāneatua Cemetery Overview - (PDF, 174 KB)
Until recently, this cemetery was administered by the Waimana Domain Board. A small, rural cemetery, it services the wider Waimana-Nukuhou community.
The first recorded burial was in 1912.
Waimana Cemetery Overview - (PDF, 109 KB)
Located on Cemetery Road, Galatea, only a small portion of this cemetery is used for burials - the rest is leased to a local farmer. There are designated RSA, Protestant and Catholic plots, and an RSA ashes wall.
The first burial was in 1966, and the cemetery is used mainly by Murupara and Galatea residents. The area is well-planted and in a quiet, peaceful spot.
Murupara Cemetery Overview - (PDF, 146 KB)
Other cemeteries
This cemetery is managed by the Matatā Cemetery Trust. It is located on a hillside just outside Matatā, on Braemar Road, in an attractive setting surrounded by farmland.
For bookings please contact Venus Patterson on 07 322 2470.
Awakaponga Cemetery Overview - (PDF, 354 KB)
Nestled amongst a 3.6 hectare Council-owned woodlot, this cemetery has five graves: James and Amy Grant, their son Ian, their daughter Kit and her husband Tex O'Connell.
The first burial was Amy Grant in 1924, with the last being Kit O'Connell in 1959.
