Robert B Walker Funerals is an independent locally owned funeral home. Established in 1856 the Walker Family has been serving the local community for seven generations. With over 150 years of experience you can rest assured that your loved one will be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Funeral packages can restrict your choice. Instead of offering packages, we personalise each funeral service based on your requirements and adjust the price accordingly.
We believe in affordable, transparent pricing. Before entering into any agreement with our firm, you will be provided with a full written quote.
All prices listed below include GST.
Standard hours are weekdays 8am – 4:30pm.
Into Our Care
Our involvement begins with the transfer of your loved one from their place of death to our mortuary. Our mortuary is located in our funeral home at 75 Smith Street, Kempsey. The cost of the transfer is determined by the location and time of death.
| From a Residence | From a Hospital or Nursing Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Hours | 400 | 250 |
| After Hours | 550 | 400 |
| Travel over 70km from funeral home - 2.50 per additional km (one way) | ||
Holding Your Loved One In Our Care
The cost of holding your loved one in our mortuary.
| Holding Fee (per day) | 20* |
| *No charge for the first 14 days if our firm conducts the cremation or burial | |
Mortuary Care
The preparation of your loved one including dressing and placement into a coffin.
| Basic Mortuary Care | 220 |
| Complex Mortuary Care | 550 |
Coffin
A coffin is required to transport your loved one. Coffins come in a wide variety of styles to meet the needs of all – from simple veneered particleboard to solid, carved timber. It is also possible to have a completely personalised coffin, or a simple, environmentally friendly coffin. The price varies depending on your choice of material, pattern, colour and finish. The fee includes the chosen coffin, hardware (handles, nameplate) and interior linings.
| Coffin Range | 1300 - 4500 |
Viewing
A viewing is optional. It is an opportunity for family and friends to spend some private time with your loved one prior to the funeral. Our viewing rooms are located at our funeral home in Smith Street, Kempsey.
| Viewing - Standard Hours | 100 |
| Viewing - After Hours | 350 |
Arranging and Conducting The Funeral (Professional Fee)
A funeral service involves days of preparation and planning, as well as several hours of involvement from numerous staff on the day.
Our professional fee covers all business operating costs; including wages and training of our staff, 24 hour availability to answer all enquiries, attending to relevant administration and legal documents, liaising with various third parties (crematorium, cemeteries, florists, advertising firms, celebrants, musicians, doctors), transportation to the funeral venue, preparation of music, graveside furnishings, notifying government bodies of death (Centrelink, Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages), construction and maintenance of facilities, purchasing and maintenance of vehicles, licensing, insurance and utilities, advice and support following the funeral.
Arrival service funeral: An arrival service takes place entirely at the crematorium chapel. The coffin is in place before guests arrive and no hearse is present.
Single service funeral: A single service funeral takes place at one location (a chapel, church or graveside). The service includes a final committal and the hearse and coffin drive away at the end of the service with no procession following.
Dual service funeral: A dual service funeral takes place at two locations. It begins at a chapel or church and is followed by a procession to the cemetery or crematorium for a final committal ceremony.
| Arrival Service | Single Service | Dual Service | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cremation | 3498 | 3608 | 3828 |
| Burial | NA | 3718 | 4048 |
| Saturday Surcharge | 200 | 250 | 400 |
| Travel over 70km from funeral home - 3 per additional km (one way) | |||
Celebrant Fees
This is the fee paid to the celebrant that officiates the service. This includes their time to prepare the service and their time at the funeral service.
| Civil Celebrant | 330 |
| Catholic Priest | 330 |
| Anglican Minister | 220 |
| Uniting Minister | 165 |
| Presbyterian Minister | 275 |
| Salvation Army Minister | 220 |
| Christian New Life Minister | 275 |
| Other Denominations | POA |
Hire of a Venue
The cost to hire the facility where the funeral service takes place. This includes opening, closing and associated cleaning costs. It also includes the cost of any PA and AV equipment required.
| Venue | Location | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Chapel of Walkers Crematorium | Frederickton | 330 |
| All Saints Catholic Church | West Kempsey | Included |
| All Saints Anglican Church | West Kempsey | 100 |
| Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church | South West Rocks | 50 |
| The Uniting Church | West Kempsey | 150 |
| The Uniting Church | Frederickton | 260 |
| The Uniting Church | South West Rocks | Included |
| Holy Trinity Anglican Church | South West Rocks | 150 |
Third Party Fees
| Registered Death Certificate | 66 |
| Certificate of Cremation (issued by doctor) | 110 |
| Medical Referee Cremation Permit | 110 |
Burial Fees
Burial fees involve the purchase of a gravesite, the right of interment, preparation of the site, digging the grave, closing the grave and perpetual maintenance. Costs will vary depending upon the cemetery and the type of burial site required. Local cemeteries are managed by Kempsey Shire Council. These include East Kempsey, Frederickton, Arakoon, Kinki, Tom’s Gully and Bellbrook.
| First Interment In New Position | 3850 |
| First Interment In Reserved Position | 3130 |
| Second Interment Above | 1745 |
| Council Saturday Surcharge | 670 |
| Other Cemetery | POA |
Cremation Fees (Walkers Crematorium)
These fees are paid to the crematorium to verify the necessary paperwork, issue of the cremation certificate, carry out the cremation, process the cremated remains and supply a simple urn.
| Adult Cremation | 1364 |
| Child Cremation (12 and Under) | 400 |
| Saturday Cremation Surcharge | 80 |
| Certificate of Cremation (From Crematorium) | No Charge |
| Certificate of Urn Contents | No Charge |
| Other Crematorium | POA |
Audio Visual
Music
Supply and play songs and hymns at the service.
Order of Service booklets
Designing, printing and folding of the booklets given to those at the funeral. The booklet contains pictures, hymn lyrics, poems and an outline of the service. Additional copies are passed onto you after the service to give to those who were unable to attend.
Photo Presentation
The compilation of a photo presentation including scanning and editing the photos and synchronising them with your choice of music. Fee includes all technology required to play the presentation. A copy of the slideshow is passed onto you after the service on a flash drive. This also contains a digital copy (.jpg) of all the photos used.
Audio Recording
The chapel at our crematorium can capture an audio recording of the funeral service. This is provided to you as an mp3 on a flash drive 1-2 days after the service.
| Supply Music | No Charge | |
| Design Booklet Including 100 Prints | 300 | |
| Additional Prints (each) | Single Page | 1 |
| Double Page | 2 | |
| Triple Page | 3 | |
| DIY Booklet Print Setup | 75 | |
| Design Photo Presentation Including 60 Photos | 140 | |
| Additional Photos | Hard Copy Photos | 1.50 |
| Digital Photos | 1 | |
| Additional Flash Drive | 15 | |
| BYO Slideshow - Reformat and Test | 50 | |
| Audio Recording (Walkers Crematorium Chapel) | 60 |
Our Lowest Cost Option
A direct, no attendance cremation: 4100*
This option does not include a service or ceremony. In its simplest form, it is the collection of your loved one, the cremation and the return of their ashes to you. It includes:
- Transfer from place of death to funeral home
- Mortuary care
- A simple coffin
- A registered death certificate
- Doctor’s cremation papers
- Conveyance to crematorium
- The cremation fee
A direct, no attendance burial: 3950* + Council Grave Fees
This option does not include a service or ceremony. In its simplest form, it is the collection of your loved one and their burial. It includes:
- Transfer from place of death to funeral home
- Mortuary care
- A simple coffin
- A registered death certificate
- Conveyance to cemetery (within 50km)
- A grave marker
*Additional Charges
Transfer from place of death after hours: 150
Viewing during standard hours: 250
Complex death: POA