The Rise of Eco and Outdoor Farewells in WA

There’s something deeply human about returning to nature.The sound of wind through trees, the warmth of sunlight on skin, the quiet rhythm of waves — these things remind us that life doesn’t stop; it simply changes form.

That’s why more families in Western Australia are turning towards eco and outdoor celebrations of life.They’re choosing to say goodbye in ways that feel connected, authentic, and kind to the earth.

It’s not a trend.It’s a return — to simplicity, to meaning, to the natural cycle we’re all part of.

This way of saying goodbye is also deeply personal for me.

I was first drawn to this work after my own family chose to hold a ceremony for my Nanna outdoors — in a small, beautiful park in our local town of Guildford. It mattered to us that her farewell felt connected to the place she loved most, close to home and surrounded by the sounds of the world she’d lived in.

We were the first family to ever hold a ceremony there, and at the time, we even had to seek council approval because no one quite knew how to make it happen. But we did — and that day changed everything. Since then, that same park has become part of our family’s story. My grandfather’s ceremony was held there. My mum’s, too. At each ceremony I saw people walking in from all directions — in colour, laughter, and love — gathering beneath the big ol gumtrees in that same space, it reminds me why outdoor farewells matter. They bring us back to the heart of where life was lived.

A quieter kind of beauty

Outdoor farewells carry a different energy.The setting itself holds part of the ceremony — the birdsong, the breeze, the shifting light.

There’s space to breathe. Space to feel.And a kind of peace that can’t be replicated under a ceiling.

For many families, these spaces help grief feel softer.

"It’s easier to imagine love continuing when you’re surrounded by life."

Why “eco” matters

Eco funerals and natural burials are built on one simple principle: respect — for the person, and for the planet.

That might mean choosing a biodegradable coffin, a simple shroud, or a natural burial ground where native plants grow freely. It might mean scattering ashes beneath a favourite tree, or by the sea at sunset.

It’s about letting nature take the lead, instead of trying to control it.And in doing so, many families find that the simplicity itself becomes profoundly beautiful.

There’s no excess, no noise — just love, returning to the earth.

Places that hold the heart

Here in WA, we’re lucky to have landscapes that lend themselves to gentle goodbyes.Rolling bushland. Coastal cliffs. Wildflower trails. Peaceful parks.

Many families are choosing settings that meant something to their person — the beach they walked every morning, the garden they tended, the lookout where they always stopped for photos.

When you hold a farewell in a place that already carries their memory, the ceremony feels less like a goodbye and more like a homecoming.

Here in Perth, we’re surrounded by places that hold that kind of peace — from Kings Park and Pinnaroo Valley to coastal lookouts in Cottesloe and South Fremantle. Perth families are increasingly choosing natural, outdoor spaces for their celebrations of life because they feel both grounding and free — a reminder that love and landscape can coexist beautifully.

"Simplicity is not less"

An outdoor or eco farewell doesn’t mean doing less — it means doing just enough.

It might be a circle of chairs beneath a gum tree.A picnic blanket laid out with photos.A handful of petals shared between friends.

There’s power in that kind of simplicity — in stripping away what isn’t needed, and letting the emotion breathe.

It’s ceremony in its purest form: story, setting, love, and light.

Holding space differently

Nature teaches us that nothing really ends — it transforms.Leaves fall and become part of the soil. Tides recede, then return.The seasons move, and so do we.

Eco and outdoor farewells mirror that truth beautifully.They remind us that loss isn’t a void — it’s a change of form, a rejoining with everything that’s still living.

And for those standing in that space, it can be profoundly comforting to see life continuing all around them.

Eco and Outdoor Farewells in Perth — Where Nature Leads the Way

Across Perth and WA, families are embracing eco and outdoor funerals that let the natural world take centre stage. Whether it’s a bushland ceremony, a garden gathering, or an ocean release, these modern Perth farewells remind us that simplicity can still hold immense meaning.

Full circle

Saying goodbye beneath an open sky connects us back to something ancient — the understanding that life and death aren’t opposites, but partners in the same cycle.

When we step outside to honour a life, we’re reminded that love is part of that same rhythm too.It expands, adapts, continues.

And maybe that’s the quiet power of eco and outdoor farewells:they don’t just return us to the earth —they return us to each other.

FAQ

What is an eco funeral?

An eco funeral focuses on simplicity and sustainability — biodegradable materials, natural settings, and minimal environmental impact. In Perth, this might mean a garden gathering, bushland burial, or coastal scattering.

Can outdoor funerals be held anywhere in Perth?

Many local venues and public spaces welcome outdoor ceremonies with the right permissions. I've even held one at a pub! Parks, beaches, and memorial gardens across Perth provide beautiful, personal settings for celebration-of-life ceremonies.

Why are more families choosing outdoor farewells?

Nature feels honest and grounding. For many people, standing under an open sky helps them feel connected — not just to the person they’ve lost, but to life continuing around them.

Link to

→ From Funerals to Farewells

→ Why More Families Are Choosing Celebrants Over Clergy

If you’re looking for a celebrant to help honour someone you love, I’d be honoured to help you find the right words.

— Carina Quinn | The Wordsmith CelebrantCreating modern, heartfelt celebrations of life across Perth.