Frequently asked questions.
Losing someone you love brings many questions. We’re here to help you understand what happens next and guide you through each step with care.
If your loved one passes away in hospital or a nursing facility, the staff will contact the doctor and let you know it’s time to call a funeral director. We’ll handle the arrangements with the facility and can bring your loved one into our care whenever you feel ready. Many families choose to spend some quiet time together first, and we completely understand and support that.
Sudden or unexpected deaths can be particularly overwhelming. Depending on the circumstances, the police and State Coroner may need to be involved initially. We have extensive experience supporting families through these difficult situations and will handle all communication with the authorities. Our role is to care for you and keep you informed every step of the way, helping to remove as much confusion and stress as possible during this traumatic time.
Your first step should be to contact your family doctor, who will attend and assess the situation. If your loved one had been ill and the doctor can determine the cause of death, they’ll sign a death certificate and you can call us to arrange care. If the death was sudden or unexpected, the police and coroner will become involved, just as with any unexpected death. We’ll guide you through whichever process applies and handle all the necessary arrangements.
When the coroner is involved, your loved one will be cared for at the State Coronial Services Centre in Southbank, Melbourne, while they determine the cause of death. This is a necessary process that, whilst traumatic at the time, often provides families with important answers later. Someone will need to formally identify your loved one, which can sometimes happen at the place of death, or we can arrange for you to do this at the coronial centre where their compassionate staff will support you.
Once you contact us, one of our experienced funeral directors will meet with you wherever feels most comfortable – your home, our funeral home, or another location that works for you. We’ll gather some essential information about your loved one for official purposes, then focus on creating a service that truly honours their life. We’ll discuss location preferences, religious or cultural needs, and your family’s circumstances to design a farewell that feels right for them and for you.
The timing is entirely up to you and your family’s needs. We work closely with clergy, celebrants, cemeteries and crematoriums to secure your preferred date and time. We understand that families often need time to arrange travel or simply to process their grief, and we’ll accommodate whatever timeline feels right for you.
There are actually two different certificates, which can be confusing. The doctor or coroner provides an initial death certificate that allows us to proceed with the funeral arrangements. Separately, we register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages on the day of the service, and they’ll issue the certified death certificate you need for legal and financial matters. If the coroner is involved, this process takes longer, but we can arrange an interim certificate to help with urgent matters.
Funeral costs depend entirely on the choices you make about the service, and we’ll work with you to create something meaningful within your budget. We understand that grief and financial pressure shouldn’t go hand in hand, so we provide clear, upfront pricing and various options to suit different needs. Our service fee includes many personal touches that others charge extra for, like private viewing time in our chapel. We’re always happy to provide a written estimate so you can make decisions with confidence.
Absolutely, and there’s no cost to pre-plan with us. Meeting with one of our funeral directors to discuss your wishes means your family won’t have to make difficult decisions during their grief. We safely keep all your arrangements on file and ensure your choices are honoured when the time comes. Many people find peace of mind in knowing their preferences are recorded and their family won’t have to guess what they would have wanted.
When you call us, you’re speaking with the Hepner family – four generations of owners who genuinely care about every family we serve. We’re not a corporate funeral company; we’re your neighbours who have been part of this community for decades. Our approach focuses on creating meaningful farewells that truly reflect who your loved one was, with the kind of personal attention that only comes from a family business.
Yes, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Death doesn’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Whether it’s 3am on a Sunday or a public holiday, you can call us and speak with someone from our team who will provide immediate assistance and support.
