Cemeteries

Stratford District has seven cemeteries, five of which are now closed.

Open Cemeteries

Closed Cemeteries

Council holds all records for Council-administered cemeteries, both open and closed, and information is available upon request.

Pedestrian access to cemeteries is permitted at any time throughout the year.

For further information refer to Bylaws, Chapter 12 - Cemeteries

Open Cemeteries

Kopuatama Cemetery

4.0 kilometres east of Stratford located on State Highway 43

Mobility card holders can request a gate key from the Information Centre or Stratford District Council Service Centre, if they require vehicular access to this cemetery.

This cemetery is the current operating cemetery for the Stratford District with the first burial recorded in July 1906. It became a lawn cemetery in the 1950s.

Returned Services Area
There are two Services areas in Kopuatama Cemetery. The original Soldiers' Block is just inside the main gate, and is no longer available for interments. The new Returned Services area is located at the far end of the cemetery, in a direct line from the main gate. It is available to those who have returned from active service. These areas are administered on behalf of the Office of Veterans' Affairs.

For information on rules and eligibility, contact your local Returned Services Association (RSA).

Midhirst Cemetery

Beaconsfield Road, Midhirst – 5km north of Stratford

This cemetery is the current operating cemetery for the Midhirst District, the first burial being in September 1934. It is located next to the Old Midhirst Cemetery which is closed.

Closed Cemeteries

	Midhirst Old Cemetery
	Beaconsfield Road, 5km north of Stratford For some years, from 1880, Midhirst provided the only cemetery in the district. The first confirmed burial was in December 1882, and the last was in November 1956. The cemetery was officially closed in 1995.
	Pioneer Cemetery
	Regan Street West, Stratford This was Stratford's first cemetery, and was opened in 1886. The last recorded burial was in July 1910. On closing it was turned into a Pioneer Memorial.
	Tahora Cemetery
	80km northeast of Stratford The earliest recorded burial was in October 1924 with the last being January 1937. This cemetery was officially closed in 1996.
	Waipuku Cemetery
	State Highway 3 – 9.7kms north of Stratford Please note: There is currently no access to this cemetery. The first recorded burial was in May 1898 and the last was in September 1924. Following a generous donation from a direct descendant of Richard and Isabella Raynor a memorial headstone has been erected at the Pioneer Cemetery on Regan Street, Stratford, listing the names of those interred at the Waipuku Cemetery.
	Whangamomona Cemetery
	63km east of Stratford Land at the back of the domain was set aside for a cemetery and trustees were chosen. The first known interment was in September 1900 and the last interment was in January 2004, although the cemetery was officially closed in 1997.