Project Cultivate: Supporting a more sustainable cemetery

The following article was prepared by SMCT Horticultural Assets Manager Helen Tuton for the Friends of St Kilda Cemetery newsletter (December 2025 edition) and republished with permission.

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The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is bringing its award-winning horticultural program, Project Cultivate, to the City of Port Phillip, with the iconic St Kilda Cemetery soon to benefit from the introduction of locally native plants and wildflowers.

Project Cultivate aims to enhance and revitalise the natural landscapes of SMCT’s historical cemetery sites, complementing surrounding monuments and pathways while honouring the history and heritage of these special places for families and visitors.

The plants are mostly grown on earth-covered unmarked graves where herbicide reliance and/or growth of invasive spreading plants have created a haven for weeds and robbed the site of much of its potential over time.

This was the situation at Melbourne General Cemetery, where traditional approaches to horticultural management in older areas had eroded soil nutrition to the extent even weeds dreaded to grow. Mowing was not an option, and a lack of onsite irrigation meant an innovative approach to planting was needed - and the idea of Project Cultivate started to germinate.

Locally native plants - those best adapted to the harsh conditions caused by the area’s climate and years of cemetery soil compaction - would be reintroduced. Following a successful pilot in 2023, the program now covers 56 acres, or 52% of the entire site, with over 500,000 plants representing more than 30 Indigenous varieties.

The process begins with weed removal and the application of organic mulch to improve soil health. Plant selection is guided by consultation with Traditional Custodians, ensuring suitability for local conditions and community amenity.

Self-sustaining and visually striking, native grasses, wildflowers, and ground covers have revitalised the space for flora, fauna, and future generations, into perpetuity.

At Melbourne General Cemetery, the benefits are clear. Native grasses now shade monuments, paths, and soil, cooling the site and attracting wildlife not seen in the area for over a century. Sightings include Tawny Frogmouths, Blue-tongue Lizards, native bees, and Sacred Kingfishers.

Herbicide use has dropped by 97%, and improved soil structure now prevents waterlogging. The site is healthier for both wildlife and the local community.

Citizen science activities and planting days with schools and community groups foster learning about native flora and fauna. Collaboration with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land Council brings First Nations knowledge to the forefront.