Funerals · Lilydale

Funerals at Lilydale Memorial Park

A memorial park at the gateway to the Yarra Valley — a Federation homestead of a chapel on the ridge, an on-site crematorium, and Djeernongs Walk, where natural burials lie unmarked beneath native grasses. Candour conducts funerals at Lilydale.

Call us now See the chapel

One chapel, 100 seatsWith standing room for 40 more, and up to 300 connected by video-link
Everything on one siteChapel, crematorium, natural burial ground and two rooms for refreshments
126–128 Victoria RoadLilydale — about 45 minutes from the CBD, at the gateway to the Yarra Valley

The setting

Where the Yarra Valley begins

Lilydale sits where the suburbs give out and the valley begins. The Lilydale Cemeteries Trust was formed in 1863, and this ground has been in the community's care ever since — next door, the old lawn cemetery holds graves from the 1870s, Dame Nellie Melba's among them. The memorial park rises behind it: a working farm once, its original farm house still standing among the gardens, still feeding people after funerals.

But Lilydale has done something few cemeteries have. Alongside the lawns lies Djeernongs Walk, a natural burial ground where graves are left unmarked beneath massed indigenous grasses, with a single memorial stone carrying the plaques — and the slightest wind sends a ripple across the whole hillside. And the park still holds the whole day: the service, the burial or cremation, and the cup of tea afterwards, without anyone leaving the grounds.

Djeernongs Walk, the natural burial ground at Lilydale Memorial Park, planted with native grasses beneath eucalypts

The chapel

One chapel, wrapped in a verandah

Lilydale has a single chapel, and it's unlike any other we work in — a Federation homestead with armchairs and stained glass, and a verandah running right around it. It seats 100, with standing room for 40 more, and the rooms either side can carry the service to as many as 300.

The chapel offers live streaming, screens and sound for music and tributes, and a hearing induction loop.

Federation Chapel interior at Lilydale Memorial Park, timber pews beneath a coffered ceiling with brass chandeliers

Seats

100

Federation Chapel

A Federation-style homestead on the highest ridge of Lilydale Memorial Park — wraparound verandah, stained glass and high ceilings, with seating for 100 and views towards the Yarra Valley.

What it costs

A Simple funeral at Lilydale

Our most straightforward farewell, with clear published pricing. Each path starts from one package price — cemetery and statutory fees passed through at cost, never marked up.

With cremation

From $9,429 (chapel and cremation included)

After the service, the committal happens quietly and the cremation is carried out on site, within the same grounds. If your family wishes to witness, a private viewing room can be arranged. We collect the ashes and return them to you when you're ready.

The chapel and the cremation at Lilydale Included
All certificates and documentation Included
Our complete care, first call to farewell Included
Coffin, flowers and any tailored extras Chosen with you

With burial

From $8,374 (chapel included, grave at cost)

After the service, the procession moves gently down from the ridge — the graveside is within the same grounds. Lilydale offers lawn and garden graves, mausoleum crypts, and natural burial at Djeernongs Walk. Costs vary by position and by the kind of burial you choose. We pass every cemetery fee through at cost and quote the exact figure before anything is booked.

The chapel at Lilydale Included
Death certificate and paperwork Included
Our complete care, first call to farewell Included
Coffin, flowers and any tailored extras Chosen with you

Simple farewell details Explore all farewells

Finding your way

Getting to Lilydale

Lilydale Memorial Park
126–128 Victoria Road
Lilydale VIC 3140
Grounds open every day, 7.30am–5.30pm
(until 7.30pm during daylight saving)

Arriving and parking

The entrance is on Victoria Road. Federation Chapel sits on the ridge at the highest point of the park, with parking close by — follow the signs up, and you'll see the verandah before you see anything else.

Your Candour arranger will be at the chapel well before you arrive, and our team will greet your guests and show them the way.

Getting there

Lilydale sits about 45 minutes east of Melbourne's CBD, via EastLink and the Maroondah Highway, at the gateway to the Yarra Valley.

By train, Lilydale station is the end of the Lilydale line and only a short trip from the park — one of the easier cemeteries in Melbourne to reach without a car, which matters if older guests are travelling.

Refreshments after the service

Two rooms, and families choose by numbers.

The Candlebark Room is the closest to the chapel and shares its heritage character — a short walk down from the ridge, comfortably holding 150 standing. It's the room for a full gathering.

The Hutton Room is the quieter option: a compact space for around 40, set inside the park's original farm house. For a small family gathering, it's hard to beat — the house was here before any of this was, and it still does the same job it always did.

Both are catered on site by Celeste Catering. We book the room, the timing and the food as part of your farewell if you'd like it.

Accessibility

Federation Chapel offers step-free entry, wheelchair access and an accessible restroom, with parking close by. A hearing induction loop is fitted, so guests with hearing aids can follow the service clearly.

If anyone in your family has particular mobility needs, tell us when we speak — we'll plan the day around them.

Helpful to know

Questions families ask

Can everything really happen in one place?

Yes. The service is held in Federation Chapel on the ridge; the crematorium is within the same grounds; burials take place across the park; and both refreshment rooms are a short walk away. Nobody drives anywhere between the beginning of the day and the end of it.

Do we need to choose between burial and cremation before we call?

No. Many families haven't decided when they first ring, and some are still weighing it days later. We'll talk through both paths, what each costs at Lilydale, and what your person or your family would want. Nothing is booked until you're ready.

If it helps to read first, our guide to cremation explains what's involved, step by step.

Can we have a natural burial at Lilydale?

Yes. Djeernongs Walk is a dedicated natural burial ground, and it's genuinely different. Graves are left unmarked — the whole hillside is planted with massed indigenous grasses, and a single memorial stone carries the plaques, so families always know where to come. There are no headstones and no manicured lawn, and the ground needs far less water and maintenance to sustain it. Birds and wildlife have come back into it.

Even the water is thought through: billabongs and swales across the park catch and clean the run-off before it reaches the Yarra.

A separate part of Djeernongs Walk is set aside as bushland for scattering ashes.

If a natural burial is what your person would have wanted, tell us and we'll walk you through exactly how it works — including the coffin, which differs from a traditional burial.

What if we're expecting a very large gathering?

Federation Chapel handles big farewells unusually well for a building that feels like a house. The chapel seats 100 with standing room for 40 more, and the rooms on either side can carry the service by video-link — up to 300 people in all, under the one roof.

The overflow rooms need to be arranged with the cemetery ahead of time. So if there's any chance your numbers will grow, tell us early and we'll have them booked and ready, just in case.

Can we hold refreshments or a wake at Lilydale?

Yes, and there are two rooms to choose between. The Candlebark Room is closest to the chapel and shares its heritage character, holding 150 standing — the room for a full gathering.

The Hutton Room is the quieter option, seating around 40 inside the park's original farm house. For a small family gathering it's hard to beat: the house was here long before the park was, and it still does the same job it always did.

Both are catered on site by Celeste Catering. We book the room, the timing and the menu as part of your farewell if you'd like.

Can family who can't travel watch the service?

Yes — Federation Chapel offers live streaming, and we arrange it as part of the service. Family overseas or interstate receive a private link, and a recording can be kept afterwards for anyone in a difficult time zone. The chapel also has a hearing induction loop, so guests with hearing aids can follow the service clearly in the room.

Candour Funerals

One team, from first call to farewell

Candour is an independent Melbourne funeral home. From the first call to the final farewell, one small team cares for everything.

Call 1300 788 881 Ask a question

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