When Myra was diagnosed with terminal cancer nearly two decades ago, she knew exactly how she wanted to leave this world — naturally, without a coffin, and surrounded by the bush she loved.
“I care a great deal about what’s happening with the environment,” she told ABC. “By choosing a natural burial, I will become part of the environment, part of nature.”

Back then, achieving that wish was far from simple. Natural burials weren’t legally recognised, and the only option was burial on private land. Myra, with the help of Kevin Hartley, fought through layers of red tape to make it happen. Her courage sparked something much larger — a movement that has since evolved into the Natural Burial Ground Trust of Australia.

Today, Kevin and a team of dedicated environmental partners have turned Myra’s vision into reality, opening South Australia’s first dedicated natural burial ground — and perhaps the world’s first restoration burial ground.

Restoring Life, One Burial at a Time

Unlike cemetery “natural sections” that simply allow eco-friendly coffins, this new site near Goolwa goes much deeper — literally and symbolically.

“It’s not part of a cemetery,” Kevin explained on ABC Radio. “It’s directly linked to nature. We’ve partnered with the Nature Foundation — a 47-year-old conservation charity managing over half a million hectares of land. Together, we’re restoring six hectares of barren land into re-vegetated bushland. We’ll plant trees, and over time, we’ll plant more people, and then more trees on the people.”

The result? A place where every grave will eventually rest beneath the shade of a native tree.
“Myra once told me, ‘I love the feeling of wind in my hair, and I want to feel the wind in my leaves after I’m gone,’” Kevin recalled. “And that’s exactly what this project makes possible.”

A Simpler, Kinder Way to Return to the Earth

Natural burials are as old as humanity itself — a return to simplicity and meaning. No chemicals, no chipboard coffins, no heavy machinery. Instead, bodies are wrapped in biodegradable shrouds made of jute or hemp and placed in a recycled cardboard cradle.

“There’s no embalming,” Kevin said. “It’s unnecessary and harmful. We want the simplest possible process — safe, beautiful, meaningful.”

Every decision is made with restoration in mind. Even the carbon footprint of the burial is offset through Australian carbon credit units, and surplus funds are reinvested in environmental projects through the Nature Foundation.

“It’s the lightest footprint you can possibly leave,” Kevin explained. “In fact, it becomes carbon positive. You’re contributing to the restoration of the environment.”

Meaning Beyond the Moment

As attitudes toward death evolve, so too do our rituals. “What’s re-emerging now,” Kevin noted, “is meaning. The little rituals people remember — singing, reflection, connection — those matter far more than coffins or make-up.”

At the new burial ground, families can visit and locate graves precisely thanks to detailed mapping and even drone technology that can guide visitors “to the centimetre.” It’s a gentle blending of innovation and nature — honouring memory while regenerating the land.

The Trust is also exploring the possibility of family sites and even burials with pets, reflecting a modern, compassionate approach to the way people want to be remembered.

Help Grow the Future of Natural Burials

The creation of this restoration burial ground marks a turning point — but it’s only the beginning. The Natural Burial Ground Trust of Australia is raising funds to expand its work nationally, develop more sites, and protect more land for future generations.

Every contribution helps grow this living legacy — restoring ecosystems, supporting conservation, and giving Australians the freedom to choose a farewell that gives back to the earth.

As Kevin said, “What we’ve come to now is an opportunity to offer everyone what Myra had to fight so hard for.”

You can help that vision grow.
🌿 Donate today to the Natural Burial Ground Trust of Australia and become part of the movement that’s bringing life back to the land.