Funerals and cremations in Illawarra

Bare is one of the largest independent funeral directors in Australia, performing more than 7,000 funerals annually.  Bare, and our partners, are registered or licensed as per each state’s local guidelines and regulations for Funeral Directors. We're ISO certified, have more than 2,400 5 Star Reviews, and have featured in a number of media stories for the difference we're making in the industry. 

A funeral is a service celebrating your loved one’s life that has the coffin present at the service.  It therefore takes place before the cremation and at a venue suitable for the presence of a coffin.  

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A memorial service in comparison does not have the coffin present at the service.  Because of this the service can take place at a wider variety of venues and at any time, before or after the cremation.  Many families choose to wait till their loved ones' ashes are returned home and have the ashes present at the service.

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Bare offers both types of services and the choice will ultimately depend on the family’s preferences. Speak to our arrangers to understand which type of service may be best for you and your family. If you wish to receive a free quote online, you will see options available depending on your location. 

We have a different business model to traditional funeral homes. Traditional funeral homes have high fixed operating costs - with physical funeral parlours to manage and maintain. Bare is different. By offering simple services that can be arranged online or over the phone, we can provide high quality services at affordable prices.  

The first thing to do is contact our Customer Care team on 1800 071 176 (we're available 24/7). On speaking with your dedicated concierge, they will take some brief details and talk you through the process, along with answering any questions you might have. Their role is to make your life just a little bit easier, and so they will do everything they can to make the funeral arrangement process as simple as possible.  Once we have those initial details, we'll transfer your loved one into our care and begin the process of arranging a cremation.  We'll guide you through the paperwork that must be completed, and keep you constantly informed of what's happening with your loved one.  Once the cremation is complete, we'll return the ashes to you and arrange for the Death Certificate to be mailed to you. 

Yes - the advertised price of a cremation with Bare is the final price.  We're aware that the funeral industry has a reputation for hidden fees and charges. With a Bare Cremation, the price you see is the price you pay.  We don't charge extra for weekend or overnight transfers, oversized coffins, pacemaker removal - or anything else.  To get a price for your location, simply hit the "Instant Quote" button and know that the price you'll see is the price you'll pay. 

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Yes we collect anytime day or night. Sometimes we will be dictated by the location of collection, for example certain hospitals will have dedicated collection times that we must adhere to. Needless to say, we will always collect as soon as possible – and there are never any out of hours hidden fees.  

We take this responsibility very seriously, and the process to ensure this happens is closely regulated. Your loved one is cremated individually. They, the coffin, and the ashes receptacle are all labeled and checked and verified. Your loved one’s paperwork accompanies them throughout their care journey and is checked multiple times to ensure their identity is recorded correctly.

We generally advise families that the timing from collection of your loved one to return of ashes is 3 weeks. However, it can vary depending on many factors and it is best to obtain guidance from your arranger.

There are a number of institutions and people you should contact to ensure a person’s estate is effectively closed. Our team is here to help you with that with our Aftercare service, and we’ve also built a Who to Contact checklist that you can download here.

No, you don't have to pay upfront for an At Need arrangement. We know that paying for a funeral can be daunting, particularly when there's more important things to worry about, so with Bare we don't ask for payment upfront.  If you have any questions about this, please give our care team a call on 1800 071 176. 

From the time of cremation, we typically advise a wait time of 3 weeks. At times it can take longer if there is a delay in processing by the state authority. If there is a long delay, we will actively follow up on your behalf.