A place to remember
A new memorial at Warrnambool Cemetery Trust’s Tooram Memorial Park now provides a dedicated space for families to remember babies lost before 20 weeks’ gestation.
The Early Loss Memorial Tree, a sculpted metal artwork designed to hold up to 300 personalised tokens in the form of leaves or butterflies, has been created through a partnership between the Rotary Club of Warrnambool, Vic, the Warrnambool Cemetery Trust and community members.
Each token will carry a message chosen by parents, families or loved ones who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death. These tributes may honour recent losses or those carried quietly for many years, when fewer opportunities existed for public mourning and acknowledgment.
The memorial offers an enduring way to honour lives lost too soon and to recognise grief that is often unseen.
“The tree is not an imposing monument, but a gentle and quiet place where people can return, reflect and feel connected,” said Project Coordinator Janet Blackley, of the Rotary Club of Warrnambool. “It is a sign that no grief is too small to be acknowledged, and no child is ever forgotten.”
The project has been two years in the making and is now complete. A community opening ceremony was held at Tooram Memorial Park on 16 October 2025, officiated by The Honourable Dan Tehan MP.
For those who bear the sorrow of early infant loss, the memorial will offer a gentle and enduring way to honour a life that was, and remains, deeply loved. It will be a place not only for grief, but also for connection with others who share similar experiences. In both its form and purpose, the tree symbolises memory, resilience and love that endures.
The project is an inspiring example of collaboration and shared purpose that will serve many generations to come. By working together with transparency and respect, Rotarians and skilled and passionate members of the community demonstrated the power of partnership. The memorial will not only honour those remembered there, but also remind future generations of what can be accomplished when people unite for a common cause.
Details about how families can request a personalised token are on the Cemetery website, visit warrnamboolcemetery.com.au
