The Eco Coffin Project is a unique community program that aims to:

Spark conversations, curiosity and acceptance of our mortality
Increase our death literacy for informed end-of-life planning
Use creative practices to become ok with death
Raise awareness of eco-friendly options for our body like natural burial
Become more enlivened and grateful for every day we have.

The program includes 3 full-day workshops in March followed by decorating an eco-coffin or making a shroud during April to July which becomes part of our group exhibition in August as part of the South Australian Living Arts Festival (SALA).

The Eco Coffin Project first launched in 2020, is always booked out, and is made possible at such incredible value for what you invest, thanks to our host, Gawler Environment Centre and our major sponsor, Adelaide Cemeteries.

Our program for 2025:

3 Workshops in March

Sunday, March 16: Pushing Up Daisies workshop
Sunday March 23: Visit 3 Natural Burial Grounds
Sunday March 30: Guest speakers

Each workshop runs from 10:00am to 4:00pm

Includes printed and electronic resources to take home, refreshments and a delicious light lunch from the onsite 1947 Cafe each workshop.

Our incredible venue is the new architecturally award-winning Evergreen Community Precinct at Clearview SA with state-of-the-art facilities.

Plenty of free parking as well.

Workshop overview

Pushing Up Daisies workshop:

90% of deaths in Australia are expected. Are you prepared?
This one-day workshop explores how our Australian death system works to empower you to create a meaningful, values-based, end-of-life plan.

Visit 3 Natural Burial Grounds

We have a guided tour of the 3 Natural Burial Grounds currently available to the public in metropolitan Adelaide: Wirra Wonga (Enfield), Pilyu Yarta (Gawler) and Martungka (Adelaide Hills).

Guest Speakers day

We are finalising a wonderful line up of engaging and interesting guest speakers for our 2025 program.

Death Doula/End-of-life Guide: Helen Roberts, Graceful Dying
Shroud wrapping demonstration: Taylor & Forgie Funeral Directors
Cooling plate demonstration: Deb Griffiths, Down To Earth Funerals
Burial on private land: David Cowell, Environmental Health Officer
End-of-life care in a private home: Elizabeth Brookman
Death Over Dinner, Adelaide Cemeteries
Threshold Singers, Adelaide
Showcase eco-coffins and shrouds: Alumni Eco Coffin Project participants

Making & Decorating - April to July

During April through to end of July decorate an eco-coffin &/or make a shroud in your home at your convenience. We have regular online zoom meetings to share how we are all progressing.

This is an optional creative activity in the program. Some people just want to do the 3 workshops and that is fine.

Your making and decorating costs are not included in the price.

You can make/supply your own eco-coffin or we offer 2 types of affordable eco-coffins to purchase for those interested, either flat-pack eco-wood or eco-cardboard. We charge only our cost which both suppliers provide at a generous discounted price just for us. As a participant you are welcome to buy an eco-coffin at the discounted price and not have to decorate it for the program.

Exhibition - August

Exhibit your decorated eco-coffin &/or shroud in our group exhibition as part of the South Australian Living Arts Festival (SALA).

Our venue to showcase your work of art will be the historic West Terrace Ceremony in Adelaide.

We will have a catered Exhibition Opening event where you are all able to attend, along with your family and friends.

The entry fee for SALA and attendance at the Exhibition Opening is all included.

Price: $165

Just to recap, included in this value-for-money price:

3 full-day action-packed workshops + course materials, refreshments and light lunches + parking, in stunning state of the art venue
Option to buy either our preferred flatpack wood or cardboard coffin at discounted price (optional)
Entry fee to exhibit your decorated eco-coffin &/or shroud as part of SALA (optional)
Invitation to catered Exhibition Opening event at West Terrace Cemetery

Incredible value thanks to the ongoing support of Gawler Environment Centre and Adelaide Cemeteries.

Our Facilitator: Dr Abby Buckley

Our facilitator and creator of the Eco Coffin Project is Dr Abby Buckley. Abby is a community educator, researcher, author and social ecologist who finds guidance and inspiration from nature on how to positively embrace death in our everyday lives so we feel connected, empowered and enlivened.

She became interested in this field after the sudden death of her son, Robbie, in a car crash. Abby and her family had no idea how to deal with Robbie’s death. They made many decisions they now deeply regret and cannot change. If only she had known then what she knows now. This feeling is what drives Abby’s passion to inform people how our death system works so they know what is possible and can make informed decisions.

Death Cafes, Before I Die Walls, Death Over Dinner and Dying To Know Days are some of the conversation-starting community events she has facilitated over the last 10 years along with being an event speaker on topics such as Natural Burial.

Her close network and knowledge of the industry developed while working at Adelaide Cemeteries and then as a Funeral Celebrant. Her passion for working as a community educator emerged during her time as a social science researcher achieving her Master of Education – Social Ecology (with the Dean’s Award) and her PhD. Her doctoral thesis is titled: Creative practices for becoming with death while vitally alive.

The Eco Coffin Project is a constantly evolving community program for people keen to become ok with death so they can creatively embrace planning their end-of-life through an empowered sustainability lens. What Abby and others have experienced, is that by becoming ok with death as a normal accepted part of our everyday life, we actually become more enlivened and highly motivated to live a wonderful fulfilled life.

Dr Abby Buckley is a member of:

Natural Death Advocacy Network
Outdoor Health Australia
Australian Death Studies Society

As seen/heard on:

Kind words:

"I highly recommend the Eco Coffin Project. Book in quick! It sold out quickly last time for a reason." Deb Griffiths, Down to Earth Funerals, 2023 Eco Coffin Project

"The Eco Coffin Project is such a fantastic program. The knowledge of the speakers, the depth of wisdom and caring nature of our facilitator Abby really made it easy to talk about a subject that the majority shun away from. I would jump at the chance to do it again." Kathy Allen, 2020 Eco Coffin Project

"Congratulations Abby for creating an exceptional course on a subject that is a taboo, DEATH. Having my end-of-life plan now organised and the family aware of my wishes gives me a great sigh of relief. "Louise Goode, 2021 Eco Coffin Project

"It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from others. The visits to the Natural Burial Grounds were a great experience and Abby Buckley’s knowledge, presentations and selections of guest speakers for this course was on point." Marie Kibble, 2021 Eco Coffin Project

"The Eco Coffin Project highlighted a vast array of topics and gave me a lot of information on a subject that has previously been difficult to talk about. The entire project has been instrumental in giving me the understanding and guidance to make informed decisions and has been an irreplaceable experience." Kerry Dellar, 2021 Eco Coffin Project

"My kids think it a huge joke that I am preparing my own coffin and just ask that I keep a screwdriver taped to the flat pack box to make assembly quicker and easier for them. Joking aside, it has opened up conversations with them and I have been able to tell them my wishes for after my death and it is now not being treated as ‘we can’t talk about that’." Jan Abel, 2020 Eco Coffin Project

"The real gift for me was in the conversations I have had with people both in the workshops and with our wider community." Adelaide Secomb. 2023 Eco Coffin Project

Pushing Up Daisies workshop:

“Death is not an easy topic to discuss but Abby made each and everyone of us feel comfortable, enabling us to talk openly and honestly.”
“Loved how you started the workshop as it got us all thinking and talking.”
“Thank you for a professional, entertaining and informative workshop. Talking about Death and Dying is clearly a topic that you are comfortable talking with and about to others. Your knowledge, confidence, experiences, understanding and compassion were clearly demonstrated, enabling us to express our thoughts, feelings and experiences.”
“Attending the workshop has created much interesting discussion with my family and also work colleagues.”
“Attending the workshop was time very well spent. Much good practical advice associated with death, bereavement and funeral planning was dispensed. Many myths associated with the funeral industry were dispelled.”
"The workshop covers all ages. Consider it even if you’re young, because death doesn’t discriminate, it is something we all have in common."

Gratitude to our Host and Sponsors

We look forward to welcoming you to Eco Coffin Project 2025.

Any questions go to https://ecocoffinproject.au/contact