FAQs

After years working with multinational funeral companies, Kelly-Anne realised that families in Western Australia needed more than standardised services, they needed personalised, transparent, and emotionally grounded advice & support.

This insight led her to establish Closing Circles, a locally owned and family business rooted in end-of-life consultancy that specialises in cremations, funerals, wakes, memorials, and voluntary assisted dying (VAD).

Closing Circles was built to honour each individual’s journey with dignity, cultural sensitivity, and heartfelt storytelling.

Closing Circles compassionate consultants, with over 30 years of combined experience, we listen to your needs and help guide a personalised goodbye that honour's your loved one's life and legacy.

Presenting with empathy and understanding, we help you create a meaningful and tailored farewell that brings comfort, closure, and celebration of life your way. 

Funeral Directors and Funeral Celebrants are not the same but they work side by side.

A Funeral Director guides the practical and legal side of a death. Their work is detailed, regulated, and often unseen, but it forms the foundation that allows a funeral to take place with dignity.

A Funeral Celebrant focuses on the ceremony itself, the story, the tone, and the emotional experience of saying goodbye.

Together, they create a farewell that is both grounded and heartfelt.

Closing Circles specialises in personalised cremations, burials, and end-of-life planning, across Perth and WA, alongside compassionate support for wakes, memorials, Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) planning, and repatriations.

Our experienced team, led by licensed funeral directors and end-of-life consultants, helps families create meaningful farewells that reflect individual values, cultural traditions, and emotional needs, with transparency, dignity, and care at every step.

Yes. We understand there is nothing more difficult than losing a baby or child. We support families through the loss of infants (0–4) and children (5–14) with the utmost care and sensitivity, and gently guide you through every option, at whatever pace you need.

Each option offers a different level of service, so you can choose what feels right for your family.

Direct Cremation is an option where a cremation takes place without a formal ceremony or public gathering. An ID viewing may be required.

A Dignified Cremation allows loved ones a moment to say goodbye by providing a short viewing without the formality of a service.

By contrast, our Cremation Service package includes all the elements of a personalised farewell ceremony with a gathering of loved ones, which can include a celebrant, flowers, video tribute, music, readings, cultural or spiritual rituals.

We offer these options with gentle guidance, allowing families to choose what best suits their emotional, cultural, and logistical needs.

Each option offers a different level of service, so you can choose what feels right for your family.

A Direct Burial is a simple, unattended farewell with no service, attendance, or viewing.

A Graveside Burial includes a brief 30-minute viewing and a short graveside service, led by a celebrant.

A Chapel Service & Burial  is a complete, traditional farewell, including a 30-minute viewing, a full chapel service, and burial, with tributes and shared remembrance.

We'll walk you through what each option means in practice, so you're choosing based on what fits your family.

A will covers what happens to your estate after you pass. An end-of-life plan is different, it covers the practical and personal decisions around your funeral itself, whether you'd prefer cremation or burial, the type of service, any cultural or religious wishes, and even details like the location of service, music or readings. Having both means your family isn't left guessing on either front, financially or emotionally.

Yes. We understand that cultural and religious customs are deeply personal, and we work closely with families to honour those traditions with respect and care. With over 10 years of experience, Kelly-Anne has arranged funerals across many cultural and religious backgrounds, including Hindu and Jehovah's Witness services, and we're always ready to learn and accommodate your family's specific requirements.

Yes. Every family is welcome at Closing Circles, regardless of sexuality or gender identity. We honour every life and relationship with the same dignity, respect, and care, and we're experienced in shaping farewells that reflect who someone truly was and who they loved.

In Western Australia, the Coroner generally releases the deceased person from their care between ten and fourteen business days after death, although this can sometimes vary depending on the circumstances. 

A funeral will be delayed until the coroner has prepared the release.

In Western Australia (and Australia), embalming is not legally required. In some cases embalming is required for repatriation services, cultural reasons, coroners cases or time delay in funeral being held. 

If you’re planning a funeral and want help navigating embalming decisions based on cultural, legal, or logistical needs, contact us today to discuss.

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) in Western Australia commenced on 1 July 2021, following the passage of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019. This law provides eligible adults with the choice to access medication that allows them to determine the timing and manner of their death, under strict safeguards.

To access information, families and individuals can:

• Visit the WA Department of Health’s Voluntary Assisted Dying website for official guidance, eligibility criteria, and resources.
• Contact the Statewide Care Navigator Service (SWCNS), which supports patients, families, and health professionals through the process.
• Review community resources such as Dying with Dignity WA, which explains how the process works and what supports are available.

Closing Circles can help guide you on your funeral needs with clarity and compassion, ensuring you understand the options available.

When a loved one passes away, our team responds promptly with dignity and care. We arrange collection from the place of passing whether that is a hospital, aged‑care facility, hospice, or at home.

Your loved one is transported in our specially built transfer vehicles, designed to provide safe and dignified transport. Our staff attending will demonstrate professionalism and compassion on collection.

Once in our care, we will prepare for the next steps. 

1. follow the pre-arranged plan and wishes already set out through our Validating Final Wishes service, or
2. arrange a meeting with the family to discuss a at-need-funeral and confirm the plan together.

Throughout, the process our communication is open so you feel supported and reassured.

Yes. We can coordinate with funeral providers across Australia to bring your loved one home, or to arrange services wherever your family needs us to.

You can begin by contacting us or exploring our Resources page for planning guidance

If a person dies in Western Australia and their family cannot afford a funeral, the cost is first taken from the deceased person’s estate. If there are no funds available and the family is unable to pay, you may apply for the WA Government’s Bereavement Assistance Program, which provides a basic funeral or direct cremation for eligible cases. Families may also choose a low‑cost direct cremation through a funeral director. If no arrangements are made and no one can pay, the State will organise a simple burial or cremation as a last resort.