In an unexpected twist regarding the shortage of burial space in Sydney, residents have turned to Facebook Marketplace to sell cemetery plots. Listings have surged on the platform, with prices varying significantly from $3,000 to $64,000. These sales predominantly involve people offloading burial spaces initially intended for relatives who have opted for alternatives such as cremation.
Additionally, some listings offer entire family crypts and plots that are already equipped with unmarked headstones. The listings span various cemeteries, including those in Leppington, Liverpool, Minchinbury, Woronora, and Macquarie Park. While the practice may seem unconventional, it operates within legal parameters, allowing plot owners to sell them as they wish.
It’s essential to note that purchasing a burial plot grants ownership of the interment rights rather than the land itself, meaning buyers can designate who will be interred there. This trend is emerging amidst urgent reports indicating that Sydney’s cemeteries are rapidly reaching capacity, particularly in sections catering to Orthodox and Muslim communities, predicted to be fully occupied within a mere two years.