Residents in a semi-rural estate south of Queanbeyan are rallying against the local council after they discovered plans to build a cemetery within 150 metres of their homes.
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Geoff Smith and his family moved out to their sprawling block more than ten years ago, but he said the Friday before Easter was the worst day his family had had there.
He stood by the edge of his property with his neighbours and looked out in disgust at the prospect of their view being filled with grave sites and a possible crematorium.
"For us it is just absolutely devastating," Mr Smith said.
"Normally when cemeteries are built they are constructed well away from communities, and if the communities decide to build close to them as time goes on you know what you're getting into."
The residents at the Mount Campbell Estate were furious with the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, who they say, only addressed the community after an anonymous letter alerted them of the proposed cemetery.
Rumours began circulating and it was confirmed council had purchased the land.
On April 20, council sent a letter to the residents outlining the process to construct the "memorial park", and promising there would be consultation before it was built.
"What sort of consultation is that?" Mr Smith said. "They buy the land, and then they consult. That's incredible.
"It's like it's an inevitable conclusion, the consultation process is just something they need to go through but they've already made their minds up. It's outrageous."
Another resident, Wendy Hubbard, said the lack of communication was "appalling".
"The transparency in all of this is very muddy," Mrs Hubbard said. "It's an emotional situation as it is, let alone all of a sudden we've found out like this."
Mr Smith's neighbour, Patricia Dopita, whose home is opposite the site for the proposed cemetery, is upset about the possibility of a crematorium.
"That is the pits," she said. "I think the crematorium is the worst bit, and of course their answer is 'well nothing is decided' and 'it's going to be in five years' time'," Mrs Dopita said.
A spokesman from the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council said the early stages of the proposal made it difficult to reveal if a crematorium would be included.
He also said the emerging population in the region was the reason the council intended to build the cemetery.
"The site for any future memorial park needs to be within reasonable travel distance, not only for funeral processions, but also for families who regularly visit loved ones," he said.
"Queanbeyan's population and growth is heading south with Googong and South Jerrabomberra, so it was important to secure land to service this community. Suitable land in the region is limited by Googong Dam to the east and ACT to the west."
