Altona Memorial Park Blackwood Lawn

Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust

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Worsley Consulting Engineers provided innovative water engineering and civil advisory for the Blackwood Lawn precinct expansion at Altona Memorial Park. Selected for our expertise in regenerative and low-carbon design, Worsley Consulting Engineers were engaged to explore sustainable cemetery design solutions.

This was a technically complex site, constrained by highly reactive clay soils that were already damaging existing infrastructure. The project was further challenged by shallow basalt rock less than 2 meters below the surface and an extremely flat topography, making conventional gravity drainage prohibitively expensive.

Our team implemented a Regenerative Civil Design approach, using contour berms, swales, and permeable pavements to mimic natural sequences. This solution avoided costly rock excavation and extensive pipework. As quantified by our WC3 Carbon App, the Concept Design achieved a 28% reduction in upfront embodied carbon compared to a conventional design.

We are now undertaking detailed design for the project with landscape partner Urban Initiatives, ahead of construction commencing next year. We are exploring further decarbonisation opportunities and seeking to achieve a 40% reduction in upfront carbon, including low-carbon alternatives to traditional concrete and steel grave foundations.