Resource Platform

Our Funeral and Planning Ahead Resource Centre is designed to provide you with a range of Blogs to help you prepare for the journey ahead.

  • Water cremation equipment with a nature scene displayed in the background.

    Water Cremation With Hills Family Funerals

    Water cremation offers a gentle and environmentally conscious alternative to traditional cremation, using water and alkali to support a more sustainable farewell.

  • A natural burial area at a cemetery surrounded by trees and bushland.

    Natural Burials with Hills Family Funerals

    Natural burials offer families a simple and environmentally conscious way to say goodbye, using biodegradable materials and practices designed to preserve the surrounding landscape.

  • A road disappearing into the distance.

    Essential Documents to Keep Safe When Arranging a Funeral

    Organising important documents and records in advance can make funeral arrangements and financial matters easier for your loved ones, while helping reduce confusion during an already difficult time.

  • Guiding Your Family Through the First Steps of Funeral Planning

    The first steps of funeral planning can feel overwhelming, but knowing who to contact, what information to gather and how family can be involved can make the process feel more manageable.

  • Choosing the Right Venue for a Funeral Service

    Choosing the right funeral venue can help create a comfortable and respectful setting, with factors such as size, location, accessibility, timing and budget all worth considering.

  • Catering and Gathering After the Funeral Service

    A post-funeral gathering can offer comfort and connection, with thoughtful choices around catering, venue and seating helping create a welcoming space for family and friends.

  • A person writing in a notebook beside a laptop, with glasses and a small plant on the desk.

    How to Write a Heartfelt Eulogy

    Writing a eulogy is an opportunity to reflect on a loved one’s life, share meaningful memories and create a personal tribute to who they were.

  • Burial or Cremation: Making the Right Choice

    Choosing between burial and cremation is a deeply personal decision, shaped by emotional, practical and financial considerations as well as family wishes and traditions.

  • Planning Ahead: Why Pre-Paid Funeral Plans Make Sense

    Learn how pre-paid funeral plans can ease emotional and financial stress, protect your wishes, and give your family greater peace of mind for the future.

  • What to Expect on the Day of the Funeral

    Knowing what to expect on the day of a funeral can help you feel more prepared, giving you space to focus on the service, your loved one and those around you.

  • Caring hands

    Grief: The Counterpart to Love

    Grief and love are deeply connected. Dr Alan Wolfelt reflects on mourning as a natural response to losing someone or something we deeply value, helping us better understand why grief can feel so powerful and why it is such a necessary part of loss.

  • A professional office desk with documents labelled “Will”, “Probate” and “Estate Administration”, alongside a pen, glasses and flowers.

    What About the Paperwork?

    Managing the paperwork after someone dies can feel overwhelming. Understanding the role of an Executor, the duties involved and when Probate may be required can help make the process clearer.

  • Understanding Funeral Traditions Across Cultures

    Explore how different cultural and religious traditions shape funeral customs, rituals, mourning practices and ways of honouring the deceased.

  • No Funeral Service Cremation: A Simplified and Private Farewell

    No funeral service cremation offers families a simple, private and flexible way to say goodbye, with the freedom to create a meaningful memorial in their own time.

  • Graveside Services: A Simple and Meaningful Goodbye

    Graveside services offer a simple and intimate way to say goodbye, with space for reflection, personal tributes and meaningful moments shared with family and friends.

  • Choosing an Officiant for the Funeral Service

    Choosing the right officiant can help shape the tone of a funeral service, whether your family prefers the traditions of a clergy member or the flexibility of a celebrant.

  • Memorial Ideas to Celebrate a Life Well Lived

    Remembering someone special can continue beyond the funeral. Simple tributes like planting a tree, keeping treasured items or sharing family stories can help preserve their memory.

  • The Cremation Process: A Simple Guide

    Understanding what happens during cremation can provide reassurance, from preparation and identification through to the return of ashes and the memorial options available afterwards.

  • Interstate Funeral Regulations in Australia: What You Need to Know

    Interstate funeral arrangements can involve transport, permits and different state requirements. Understanding the process can help families plan with greater clarity and avoid unnecessary delays.

  • How to Support a Grieving Loved One: Practical Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

    Supporting someone through grief can be difficult. Simple acts of patience, presence and practical help can offer comfort while avoiding common mistakes that may unintentionally make things harder.

  • An elderly man looks through his old photographs of 1960-1965

    Personalisation – Every Life Tells a Story

    Personalising a funeral can help create a meaningful tribute that reflects a loved one’s life, values and personality through music, readings, symbols and other thoughtful choices.

  • Happy, old couple and caregiver in home

    5 Things to Know About Funeral Insurance

    Funeral insurance can help cover funeral costs, but rising premiums, age limits and policy conditions can make a significant difference to what you ultimately pay and receive.

  • Popular Funeral Songs and Their Significance

    Music can bring comfort, evoke memories and help create a funeral service that feels personal to the life being remembered.

  • Eco-Friendly Funeral Options: A Guide to Sustainable Farewells

    Eco-friendly funeral options can offer a meaningful way to honour a loved one while reducing environmental impact, from green burials and biodegradable caskets to natural memorials.