Ordering a Single Monument Remotely: A Step-by-Step Checklist

You can order a full single monument without visiting the cemetery or showroom, as long as a few things are settled in writing first: the exact cemetery, section and plot, who holds the burial right and has consented, whether the price covers a fully installed monument, and a signed design proof. Production should only start after that proof is signed.

Many families live interstate or overseas when they need a monument for a parent or grandparent buried in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth. Others can't take time away from work or caring for someone to make several showroom visits. Below is what to confirm, in what order, and what to keep in writing, so your single monument is built and installed to the design proof you approved.

What should I confirm before ordering a single monument remotely for an Australian cemetery?

Before you pay anything, confirm the cemetery name, section and plot number, the burial right holder and their written consent, the cemetery's rules for that section, and that installation will be carried out by a mason authorised at that cemetery (either your supplier directly or a cemetery-approved local installation partner). Then get an itemised quote for a fully installed monument, review a digital design proof, and sign it off.

Nine-step checklist for ordering a single monument remotely

Steps 1 to 3: Confirm the cemetery, section and plot

Start with the plot, because everything else depends on it. Ask the cemetery office for the exact cemetery name, section or zone, row and grave number, and whether that section allows full monuments or only lawn headstones. Even inside one cemetery, sections can follow very different rules, so check the rules for your exact plot.

Old paperwork sometimes uses a different name for the same section, and the big cemeteries have dozens of them. If the plot number was jotted down at the funeral, check it against the cemetery's own records before any design work starts. At Rookwood Necropolis in Sydney, for example, Metropolitan Memorial Parks (which manages Rookwood General Cemetery, separate from Rookwood Catholic Cemetery) requires approved stonemasons to confirm the exact zone, section, plot and site specifications before submitting the design for approval.

The section type matters too. A full single monument covers the whole grave: an upright headstone on a base, kerbing (the stone border that outlines the grave) and either a ledger slab (a solid stone top) or a garden of stone chips. A lawn headstone is a smaller headstone or plaque on a concrete foundation beam, with grass left open in front. If you are weighing the two, our guide to full single monuments vs lawn headstones explains the differences.

Rules also change from one operator to the next. In Western Australia, Karrakatta Cemetery has full monumental sections, while Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park allows flat bronze or flat natural stone memorial plaques only (no upright headstones or monuments). In Brisbane, Nudgee Cemetery is run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane (Nudgee Cemetery and Crematorium office), not Brisbane City Council, so make sure you're asking the right office.

Step 2: Who must consent? Right of interment and burial rights

Only the person who holds the burial right for the grave, or someone with their written consent, can approve a monument. In Victoria this is called the right of interment; in New South Wales, the interment right; in Western Australia, the grant of right of burial. If the holder has died, the cemetery may need the right transferred or updated before any work begins.

A right of interment is the legal right to decide what happens at a particular grave, including who is buried there and what memorial is placed on it. The cemetery keeps the record, and the holder isn't always the person paying for the monument. This is how it works in the four largest states:

Victoria (for example, Springvale Botanical Cemetery): Putting up or changing a monument needs the written consent of the recorded right holder or holders and a cemetery permit, usually lodged by a cemetery-registered monumental mason (at Springvale, external suppliers carrying out site works must be accredited with the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust). If the only holder has died, the trust needs evidence such as a statutory declaration or estate documents before the right can be updated.

New South Wales (for example, Rookwood General Cemetery): Only the registered interment right holder, or someone with their authority, can apply to put up or change a monument, through a stonemason approved by Metropolitan Memorial Parks. If the holder has died, the interment right usually has to be transferred to a living holder before a full monument can go ahead.

Queensland (Brisbane City Council cemeteries): Monuments need Council permission and an authorised monumental stonemason, who applies for the permit. A burial right is held by one individual.

Western Australia (Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, including Karrakatta): A Grant of Right of Burial runs for 25 years and is issued in one person's name. Monumental work needs a current grant and an MCB-licensed mason. If the grant has expired or the grantee has died, ask the Board how to proceed before ordering.

If you're ordering from a distance, sort out consent first. Getting a statutory declaration witnessed or an interment right transferred can take weeks, and it's much easier to do before design work starts than halfway through.

Installed monument or freight-only stone: what are you actually buying?

Some sellers only cut the stone and freight it to a depot near you. You then need a cemetery-authorised mason to apply for the permit, build the foundation and install it. A fully installed single monument includes those steps in one written scope. When you order remotely, check that the quote says which one you're buying.

Freight-only stone can look cheaper at first. Then a separate installer has to quote for the permit, foundation and labour, and many won't fit stone they didn't supply, or they'll ask for changes so it meets the cemetery's specifications. For a full single monument with kerbing, a ledger and a foundation, it's usually simpler to have one business responsible from design through to installation.

John Stonemart Memorials installs full single monuments at cemeteries across Melbourne and Sydney, including Springvale and Rookwood, and lodges the permit application on your behalf. For cemeteries outside Melbourne and Sydney, installation is handled by a third-party partner whom we closely monitor. Confirm the installation arrangements for your cemetery before you sign.

Steps 6 and 7: Remote design proofs, corrections and sign-off

For a remote order, you approve everything from a digital design proof showing the shape, stone, sizes, lettering and any photo plaque. Collect every family member's comments first and send them back as one written list of corrections. Production should start only after you sign the final proof, so read it slowly and check every detail.

Proofs are where remote orders most often go wrong, and it's usually because comments arrive in several messages from different relatives. What helps:

Agree on one sign-off person: Decide inside the family who has the final say, ideally the burial right holder.

Combine family feedback: Gather every comment into one email or one marked-up proof, instead of a string of separate messages.

Check a fresh proof file: Ask for the corrected proof as a new drawing file, not just changes described in an email.

Verify stone and dimensions: Check that the stone colour, finish and overall sizes match the quote, not only the wording.

Names, dates and wording need their own careful read, especially for inscriptions in two languages or with accents. Our single monument inscription checklist walks you through it; go through it before you sign the proof.

With us, a deposit is due when you place your order, before the design proof is signed. Production only starts once you have signed the proof, so the stone isn't cut until every detail is approved. Remote digital design proofs are available for families who can't come to a showroom.

Step 8: How long does a single monument take after you sign the proof?

With John Stonemart Memorials, a single monument usually takes three to four months from the signed design proof. Our contract allows up to six months for unforeseen inconveniences, such as cemetery approvals or weather. Production starts only after you sign, and no specific completion or unveiling date can be promised.

If you're planning an unveiling or a memorial service, tell your consultant when you sign, and leave room in your plans. We keep you updated at key milestones — from cemetery permit lodgement through to installation and your completion photo — so interstate and overseas families stay informed.

Step 9: Checking the finished monument from a distance

When you can't visit, ask for a dated digital photo of the finished monument and compare it carefully with the signed proof: names, dates, stone colour, finish and overall layout. Raise anything that doesn't match quickly and in writing, and keep the photo with your signed proof and quote for your records.

For remote orders, we send a digital photo of the front of the finished monument. Extra photos can be requested, provided the request is made before shipment. Some cemeteries also inspect monuments once they're finished, which is another check that the work matches the approved permit.

What should a remote single-monument quote include?

A quote you can rely on from a distance breaks the job into parts instead of giving one total. Look for the stone type and colour, overall sizes, headstone, base, kerbing and ledger or chips, AS 4204:2019-compliant foundations, the lettering method and number of letters, any photo plaque, the cemetery permit fee, installation and GST. For a full line-by-line breakdown, see our headstone and monument cost guide.

Frequently asked questions

What should I confirm before ordering a single monument remotely for an Australian cemetery?

Confirm the cemetery, section and plot number, who holds the burial right and their written consent, the section's monument rules, and that installation will be carried out by a cemetery-authorised mason (directly or via a confirmed local partner). Then get an itemised quote for a fully installed monument and sign a final design proof before production starts.

Can I order a single monument without visiting the showroom?

Yes. Design, corrections and approval can all be handled with digital proofs and email, and completion is confirmed with a digital photo of the finished monument. Extra pre-shipment photos can also be requested before shipment. You still need the burial right holder's written consent and a signed proof.

Do I need to be the burial right holder to order a monument?

Not always, though you need the holder's written consent. If the holder has died, the cemetery may require the right to be transferred or updated before a monument can be approved.

How long does a single monument take after I approve the design?

With John Stonemart Memorials, usually three to four months from the signed design proof. The contract allows up to six months for unforeseen inconveniences, and no specific completion date can be guaranteed.

Is buying stone online the same as ordering an installed monument?

No. Freight-only stone is delivered to a depot, and you must arrange a cemetery-authorised mason for the permit, foundation and installation. An installed monument includes those steps in one written scope.

Ready to start a remote order?

Send us the cemetery name, section and plot number, and the name of the burial right holder, and we'll talk you through the next steps and prepare an itemised quote. Call 0417 670 613, email [email protected], or message us via our contact page. You can also browse our single monument designs.

This guide is general information. Cemetery rules change and vary by section, so always confirm the requirements for your exact plot with the cemetery in writing.