Kia ora, welcome to the Maketū Cemetery - Wharekahu project page. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about the project, including latest updates, and a timeline of upcoming steps.
About the project
We are re-contouring the eastern side of the urupā, to improve the area for future burials. This mahi (work) will increase capacity, while providing better access for both maintenance of the site and those visiting their loved ones.
We have been working closely with a local taskforce group, made up of community representatives and the Maketu Community Board, to plan this project, and a community drop-in session and on-line engagement was held in June where people could find out more and give their feedback.
We received positive feedback and support from the drop-in session and online, for the following improvements:
- Using an excavator to recontour the terraced areas
- Bringing in new soil to help raise the terrace areas to make them more level with the existing driveway
- Improving the stormwater runoff down the side of the urupā to protect future grave sites
- Planting with native shrubs and groundcovers on the embankments between the terraces to prevent erosion and enhance the site
- Installing concrete berms for future headstones - these will be positioned so that all headstones face east, in line with traditional practice
We are also planning some new structures down in the bottom area, such as a small shelter with water tanks to capture rainwater for hand cleansing, and a compost bin for greenwaste.
The cemetery will remain open throughout the work, with safety measures in place to guide visitors when vehicles and machinery are passing through public areas. Work will be stopped for any planned burials.
What's happening now? (8 August)
The middle and upper terraces are now largely complete, and the location of the shelter has been determined - at the bottom of the southern side, facing north towards the trees.
Next week we'll be laying the weed cloth on the batters (sloped areas between and along the sides of the terraces) to get them ready for planting.
We'll also be sowing grass seed on the terraces and covering it with protective cloth to help it grow and keep it safe while it establishes. We won't be planting the bottom and middle terraces on the northern side just yet, as the area is too shady and wet right now. But we'll get to this in a few weeks when it's dried out more.
28 July 2025
Things are shaping up nicely, with all terraces now formed-up, and top-soiling complete on four of the terraces.
The terraces have been shaped in a way that ensures an efficient use of space, while providing easy access for both visitors and maintenance.
Grass has been sown on the four finished terraces, and this will be covered in fabric for the next few weeks to help the grass to grow, while also protecting the new seed from birds and heavy rain.
Native plants have been ordered and these will go in the ground shortly.
We're also in the process of finalising the location and style of the shelter/rain harvester which will capture rainwater for hand cleansing.
Kia ora, welcome to the Maketū Cemetery - Wharekahu project page. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about the project, including latest updates, and a timeline of upcoming steps.
About the project
We are re-contouring the eastern side of the urupā, to improve the area for future burials. This mahi (work) will increase capacity, while providing better access for both maintenance of the site and those visiting their loved ones.
We have been working closely with a local taskforce group, made up of community representatives and the Maketu Community Board, to plan this project, and a community drop-in session and on-line engagement was held in June where people could find out more and give their feedback.
We received positive feedback and support from the drop-in session and online, for the following improvements:
- Using an excavator to recontour the terraced areas
- Bringing in new soil to help raise the terrace areas to make them more level with the existing driveway
- Improving the stormwater runoff down the side of the urupā to protect future grave sites
- Planting with native shrubs and groundcovers on the embankments between the terraces to prevent erosion and enhance the site
- Installing concrete berms for future headstones - these will be positioned so that all headstones face east, in line with traditional practice
We are also planning some new structures down in the bottom area, such as a small shelter with water tanks to capture rainwater for hand cleansing, and a compost bin for greenwaste.
The cemetery will remain open throughout the work, with safety measures in place to guide visitors when vehicles and machinery are passing through public areas. Work will be stopped for any planned burials.
What's happening now? (8 August)
The middle and upper terraces are now largely complete, and the location of the shelter has been determined - at the bottom of the southern side, facing north towards the trees.
Next week we'll be laying the weed cloth on the batters (sloped areas between and along the sides of the terraces) to get them ready for planting.
We'll also be sowing grass seed on the terraces and covering it with protective cloth to help it grow and keep it safe while it establishes. We won't be planting the bottom and middle terraces on the northern side just yet, as the area is too shady and wet right now. But we'll get to this in a few weeks when it's dried out more.
28 July 2025
Things are shaping up nicely, with all terraces now formed-up, and top-soiling complete on four of the terraces.
The terraces have been shaped in a way that ensures an efficient use of space, while providing easy access for both visitors and maintenance.
Grass has been sown on the four finished terraces, and this will be covered in fabric for the next few weeks to help the grass to grow, while also protecting the new seed from birds and heavy rain.
Native plants have been ordered and these will go in the ground shortly.
We're also in the process of finalising the location and style of the shelter/rain harvester which will capture rainwater for hand cleansing.
