The service, explained
What a direct cremation actually is
Most families have never arranged one and have no idea what the words mean. Here is the whole thing in plain English, with nothing left out.
A direct cremation is a cremation carried out without a funeral service beforehand. Your loved one is brought into our care, the paperwork and permits are handled, the cremation takes place without a gathering, and the ashes are returned to you. With Ashes to Ashes in Cairns that costs $1,990 + GST.
Why families choose it
A traditional funeral bundles a lot of things together: the chapel, the cars, the celebrant, the flowers, the printed booklets, the catering. Each one carries a cost, and they are usually presented as a package at the exact moment nobody feels able to question anything.
A direct cremation strips it back to the part that actually has to happen. Everything else, the gathering, the words, the music, the wake, is yours to arrange yourself, whenever you are ready and wherever it suits you. Some families do it a week later at home. Some do it months later, when relatives can travel. Some do nothing formal at all. All of those are fine.
It is not a lesser option and it is not a cheap version of a funeral. Your loved one is cared for with exactly the same dignity. The difference is what is attached to it.
What is included
Everything below is covered by the one price. There is nothing to add on later.
- Transfer of your loved one into our care, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Mortuary care and preservation
- All application and registration paperwork
- Doctor's cremation certificates
- An environmentally friendly cardboard coffin
- Private transport to the crematorium
- The cremation fee
- Registration of the death and the official certificate
- Delivery of the ashes to your family, or to a nominated friend
What is not included
Being straight about this matters more than making the list look short.
- A funeral service, chapel hire or a celebrant. A direct cremation does not include a service, and that is what keeps the cost down. You are free to hold your own memorial whenever and wherever you like.
- Death notices, flowers, catering or printed booklets.
- A premium coffin or a decorative urn beyond the standard return of the ashes. Ask and we will quote it plainly.
The price covers transfers during office hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. A transfer outside those hours or on a weekend may cost more. We will always tell you the exact amount before anything happens.
If a farewell without the funeral is a new idea for your family, we have written a plain guide to holding a memorial after a direct cremation, with ideas from families across Far North Queensland.
Who it suits
Direct cremation tends to suit families where the person who died had said they did not want a fuss, where relatives are spread across the country and a set date would exclude people, or where the money is genuinely better spent on the living. It also suits people who simply want to grieve privately rather than host an event.
If you are not sure whether it is right for your family, ring Shane on 0461 543 517 and talk it through. He will tell you if he thinks you want something else.
What happens when you call
Four steps, and we carry all of them
Most families have never done this before and have no idea where to start. That is normal. Here is the whole process, start to finish.
-
You call, any hour
Tell Shane where your loved one is and he will take it from there. If they are in a hospital, hospice or aged care home, he speaks to the staff directly. You do not need to know what happens next.
-
We bring them into our care
We arrange the transfer, day or night, and care for your loved one respectfully from that moment on. You are told exactly when it has happened.
-
We handle every form
The doctor’s certificates, the permits, the registration of the death, the BDM certificate. All of it is ours to sort out, not yours.
-
The ashes come back to you
Once the cremation is complete the ashes are returned to you personally, at no extra cost. What you do from there, and when, is entirely up to your family.
Still wondering
Questions about the process
The ones we get asked most. If yours is not here, call Shane on 0461 543 517 and just ask.
What is a direct cremation?
A direct cremation is a simple cremation without a funeral service beforehand. We bring your loved one into our care, handle all the paperwork and the cremation, and return the ashes to you. There is no chapel, no procession and no cost for things you did not ask for.
How much does a direct cremation cost in Cairns?
A direct cremation with Ashes to Ashes is $1,990 plus GST. That covers the transfer into our care, mortuary care, all permits and paperwork, an environmentally friendly coffin, the cremation itself and the return of the ashes. Transfers outside office hours may cost more, and we will tell you first.
Can we still hold a memorial or service afterwards?
Yes, and many families do. A direct cremation simply separates the cremation from the service. Once the ashes are back with you, you are free to hold a memorial whenever and wherever suits your family, in your own time and without a funeral director setting the schedule.
Read our guide to holding a memorial after a direct cremation
How long does the whole process take?
It depends on how quickly the medical certificates and permits come through, which is outside anyone’s control. In most cases families have the ashes back within one to two weeks. Shane will keep you updated at every step so you are never left wondering where things are at.
How and when are the ashes returned to us?
The ashes are delivered to your family, or to a friend you nominate, once the cremation is complete. There is no extra charge, it is included in the price. If your family is spread across Far North Queensland, talk to Shane and he will work out the simplest way to get them to you.
Are you available 24 hours a day?
Yes. Someone answers the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because a death does not wait for business hours. We can arrange a transfer at any hour across Cairns, Port Douglas and the Atherton Tablelands. Office hours for paperwork are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Talk to Shane, any hour
There is no cost to ask a question and no pressure to book anything. If you are not sure what to do next, that is exactly when to call.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for transfers. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm