When Sally Hills thought about her final resting place, it was always going to be her hometown in northern Tasmania.
Ms Hills has lived in the 1,000-person town of Campbell Town for her entire life.
It was where she went to school, married her husband, raised her son, spent her working life, and where she now volunteers at the local museum and information centre.
“I just didn’t think any other way,” she said.
“I always assumed that this is where I would end up — with my parents and brother.”
Sally Hills says Campbell Town “is where I belong”. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
But a couple of years ago, chit-chat about the scarcity of burial space in the Tasmanian town, 132 kilometres north of Hobart, started.
Until recently, Ms Hills thought they were just rumours.
“When I finally came to believe that the rumours were true, you do start thinking about what you are going to do, what’s going to happen in the end,” she said.
In 2021, the Anglican Church in Campbell Town sold off land behind its church to support the development of new social and affordable housing.
The church planned to set up a new burial space on the northern side of the church; however, investigations 18 months ago revealed layers of blue stone that are unable to be drilled into.
A spokesperson from the Anglican Church in Campbell Town confirmed the cemetery is closed and a waiting list is in place.
The 1,000-person town of Campbell Town is facing a serious problem of not being able to bury locals. (ABC News: Kate Nickels)
While scarcity of burial space is a well-known issue in densely populated areas on mainland Australia, Campbell Town locals were surprised to find out the town of 1,000 people was having similar issues.
“That’s when it literally hit home, that there’s just nowhere to go,” Ms Hills said.
Ms Hills said she was devastated by the news.
“I just couldn’t believe that I would not end up here, considering I’ve been here all my life,” she said.
“The longer you live in a place, the more attached to it you get.”A final wish to be buried in Campbell Town
Kate Woodham and her mother, Lennette, sit by Ian John Woodham’s grave in the township of Ross. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Kate Woodham lost her father, Woody, following a quick and unexpected illness.
The distressing ordeal of his unexpected passing was made much worse when the family was told he would not be able to be buried in Campbell Town due to there being no available plots.
“Not being able to bury our father in our home, what mum and dad classed as their hometown, was devastating,” she said.
Woody ended up being buried in the United Church cemetery in the country town of Ross, 15 kilometres down the highway, despite his final wishes to be buried in his hometown.
Kate Woodham and her mum Lennette at Woody’s final resting place. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Ms Woodham said her father had been a member of the Campbell Town community for most of his life.
“The community meant a lot to dad,” she said.
“Dad was involved in the local football club; he was president for a year, my sister and I both attended school at Campbell Town, our kids went to that school.
“It’s not nice when you’re told you can’t be a part of your local community, where he wants to be finally laid to rest.
“It still hurts us that he couldn’t be placed where he wanted to be.”
Kate Woodham says her father was part of the Campbell Town community for most of his life. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Council calls for land donation
Campbell Town district forum member and long-time resident David Gatenby raised the issue with the Northern Midlands Council after being approached by a number of concerned residents.
“The Anglican cemetery is chock-a-block,” Mr Gatenby said.
“We haven’t got anywhere for our residents to be buried, and the closest place is Ross which the residents are not very happy about.”
David Gatenby, a lifelong Campbell Town resident, raised the cemetery issue with the Northern Midlands Council. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Mr Gatenby fronted the council in March and asked if there was any vacant council land or any ratepayers who might be prepared to give some land to house a public cemetery.
Campbell Town does not currently have a public cemetery, with the Anglican and Catholic churches responsible for the town’s cemetery space.
St Michael’s Catholic church in the town said it has some burial space, but it has reserved it for people of the Catholic faith.
The nearby towns of Longford and Perth, 50 kilometres north of Campbell Town, both have council-run cemeteries.
Residents in Campbell Town are calling on the Northern Midlands Council to establish something similar in their town, so every local can continue to be buried close to home.
Northern Midlands Council mayor, Mary Knowles, said the council did not have any available land in Campbell Town.
Northern Midlands mayor Mary Knowles says she’s not sure what the solution may be. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
“There is no land available, so we’ll just have to work through what the issues are and see what we can do for the future,” Cr Knowles said.
“Maybe there’s somebody out there who might like to donate some land to the church.”
Cr Knowles said she was not sure what the solution would be, leaving locals to grapple with the unanswered question of whether there will be space for them in Campbell Town when they reach the end of life.
Ms Hills said she did not want to think about a future where she didn’t end up being buried in her hometown.
“I couldn’t go to any other place, it’s just got to be Campbell Town,” Ms Hills said.
“I’ve been here all my life and it’s just home.
“Campbell Town is where I belong.”