Crematorium information
The coffin rests on a hydraulic trolley inside the catafalque. As a service nears completion the Funeral Director or some other person may activate the lowering of the coffin by pressing a small control button in a control box in close proximity to the lectern.
It is encouraged that people view the coffin once it has lowered into the catafalque. The system in place at Bendigo resembles a burial and there are those who wish to say their final goodbye. Flowers may be thrown onto the coffin after it has been lowered.
The coffin does not descend straight into the cremator. That process is described later in this paper.
Off to the right of the Chapel is a Reception area which is often used for morning and afternoon teas following a service. It can cater for up to fifty people and a charge does apply. The Trust provides some crockery, tea, coffee, sugar and milk. All other needs must be arranged by the family or Funeral Director. A time limit does apply for the use of this facility. Two hours are allowed for the service and the reception but an extension of time can be arranged if time permits.
Those using the Reception area are requested to leave the area as they found it ie. clean and tidy, all crockery etc. washed, dried and put away.
Those who use the Reception area may spill out into the lawned section beside the Chapel.
Once the service has concluded and people have left the Chapel the coffin is removed from the catafalque and placed in the holding area. It is transferred to the charge trolley which facilitates the loading of the coffin into the cremator. If another service is to follow the appropriate coffin is placed on the hydraulic trolley and made ready for the next service.
It is usual for the Cremator Operator to start the cremator prior to the service as it takes time to reach temperature, approximately forty five minutes.
A cremation can begin once the temperature reaches 700° Celsius. Normal operating temperature is somewhere between 750° and 1100°.
Once the coffin is placed on the charge trolley and made ready for the cremation, it is parked in line with the large door at the rear of the cremator. The name plate is removed and attached to the side of the cremator to ensure proper identification of the process occurs at all times. A number of checks are carried out by staff at various stages which include checking applications for cremation, certification by doctors and the recording of a number of details in the cremation register.
Once ready the door of the cremator is opened and the coffin loaded. Ignition is immediate and the door is closed promptly. A number of visual inspections occur during the cremation.
The cremator is a Newton Cremator. The parent company is in England but Austenge is their Australian Agent in Geelong.
On average it takes about one and a quarter hours for a cremation. Cause of death, size of body and other factors will determine how long a cremation takes.
It is not appropriate for personal items to be enclosed for cremation with the body. Strict standards apply and Funeral Directors have guidelines. Damage can be caused to the cremator by many items which may seem harmless at the time. Glass will melt, may stick to the hearth and interfere with the smooth loading of a coffin. Pacemakers will explode and damage the cremator. Personal items such as a bowling ball, will cause a huge amount of smoke to be generated which can be most distressful. Gases then emitted may be well outside environmental standards. Telephone books or computer printouts will not burn away as people may think and create a dangerous work environment for employees.
The Newton cremator is fired by natural gas and operated by computer program. If a problem does arise it is possible to dial into the Geelong Agent or even back to England who can operate the unit via a modem connection.
Once the cremation is complete all that remains are bone fragments and some fine ash. This material is raked forward and falls through the hearth into a secondary chamber where it cools down and is then placed into a stainless steel cooling tray. All remains are kept separate and clearly identified.
Once cool the remains are taken from the front of the cremator but still in the cooling tray to a machine which processes the remains into ash. The ash is then taken from that machine, again in a separate container and placed in a clearly labelled plastic urn. They are then stored until collected, posted or placed at a memorial site.
During the above processes the Cremator Operator completes the necessary register details and other paperwork.
Common fallacies that exist suggest that coffins are recycled and more than one cremation takes place at the one time. That is not so. Each cremation is carried out in a dignified manner and in accordance with the law.
If you wish to know more about the process of cremation please contact the Bendigo Cemeteries Trust Office at Neangar Memorial Park on telephone 03 5446 1566 during office hours or a local funeral director.
Arrangements can also be made for an inspection of the Crematorium facility for those who would like to see and learn about the cremation process.