Key facts
- Hundreds of Australians, including war veterans and rough sleepers, are being buried in unmarked communal graves in New South Wales.
- The graves often hold four to six strangers, with failures in contacting families and support services.
- Two Vietnam War veterans were buried in unmarked communal graves in 2024 and 2025.
- NSW Health Pathology has apologized for the failings and stated changes have been made to improve the process.
- The practice involves using bare stretches of earth between walkways and old headstones at Rookwood cemetery in Sydney.
Hundreds of Australians, including war veterans, rough sleepers, and impoverished individuals, are being buried in unmarked communal graves, a practice that has been described as "unspeakable" and "a disgrace" by relatives. A Guardian Australia investigation revealed that the New South Wales government is using communal graves, often holding four to six strangers, at Rookwood cemetery in Sydney.
These graves are located on bare stretches of earth between dirt walkways and old headstones. Among those interred are war veterans, cancer sufferers, individuals with severe mental illness, and migrants whose families cannot afford repatriation costs. In at least six identified cases, authorities failed to contact or inform friends, family, or support workers about the burials, potentially breaching NSW policy designed to avoid causing distress.
Relatives have expressed shock and a sense of being robbed of the opportunity to provide a proper burial. Chantel Dubsky stated her brother, Roger Davies, a rough sleeper, was buried in an unmarked grave with four strangers without her knowledge. The homelessness sector has voiced outrage, with leaders unaware of the practice and charities like the Rev Bill Crews Foundation reporting being ignored when raising concerns with the government.
Two Vietnam War veterans were buried in unmarked communal graves in 2024 and 2025, despite a federal funding program available for impoverished veterans. The Department of Veterans' Affairs was not approached for funding in these cases. NSW Health Pathology has apologized for the failings, acknowledging that deceased persons and their families were not always treated with dignity and respect. Changes have been implemented to improve the process, including greater control by NSW Health and the creation of a dedicated team for alternative funeral arrangements.