What Happens When You Visit a Living Memorial Forest?
The drive to Wellington Dam takes about 30 minutes from Collie. Many visitors combine their visit with a Wellington Dam tour, stopping to see the famous mural before continuing along Wellington Dam Road in Worsley. The Living Legacy memorial forest is located on the same road as the camping grounds and dam lookout.
When you arrive, the experience feels more like a guided forest tour than a traditional memorial visit. You see rows of trees in different stages of growth. Some are young. Others are well established, blending naturally into the surrounding southwest forest.
Walking Through the Forest Tour
It’s quiet here. The forest doesn’t look like a cemetery with rows of headstones. It looks like an actual forest. You walk on paths between the trees. The ground is soft with grass and leaves.
Peta stops at different trees and tells you what you’re seeing. Each tree represents someone who died. Their ashes were treated and mixed into the soil when the tree was planted. That person is now part of the tree’s growth.
She shows you trees planted at different times. You can see how they’ve grown over months or years. Some families come back regularly. Others come once or twice a year. You can visit whenever you want.
This is the only memorial forest in WA where you can leave a legacy by helping the environment and have your loved ones visit in a beautiful southwest forest. The location matters. Wellington Dam isn’t just empty land. The forest already existed here. It has meaning to people in the area.
The Memorial Tree Process
Peta explains the technical side as you walk through the forest. Cremated ashes can’t simply be placed around a tree. They’re too alkaline and contain high salt levels, which would damage or even kill it.
Before any tree is planted, Living Legacy treats the ashes carefully. The pH is adjusted and excess salt is reduced, turning the ashes into something the soil and tree can actually use. What remains contains calcium, phosphorus, and other natural minerals. Over time, those nutrients move from the roots into the trunk, branches, and leaves, becoming part of the tree as it grows.
Peta doesn’t rely on complicated language. She shows you the soil around different memorial trees during the forest tour and points out how healthy it looks. You can see the results for yourself in the strength and growth of the trees at different stages.
This is the only memorial forest in WA where families can leave a legacy that actively supports the environment while still having a meaningful place to visit. For many people, a forest tour near Wellington Dam changes how they think about memorials. It feels less like a formal ceremony and more like being part of something living.
The location matters too. Wellington Dam isn’t unused land set aside just for memorials. This forest has long been part of the local landscape. Many visitors combine their visit with a Wellington Dam tour, and walking through the memorial trees adds another layer of connection to the area and its history.
Morning Tea with the Team
After the walk, there’s morning tea. You sit with Peta and the legacy planning team. Sometimes other families are visiting too.
This is where you can ask anything. How much does it cost? How long does it take? Can you pick the type of tree? What if you live too far away to visit much? The staff answers everything directly.
Some people are planning ahead for themselves. Others have ashes sitting at home in an urn and don’t know what to do with them. The team explains the different packages available and helps you understand your options.
You hear from families who already planted trees here. They talk about having a place to visit. About their kids or grandkids being able to come here. About the tree being part of family time, not just something sad.
People are honest here. They talk about grief. About that urn on the shelf that makes them uncomfortable. About not wanting a cemetery. Nobody rushes you.
Why Families Choose Memorial Trees
By the end of the visit, you can see what sets memorial trees apart from other options.
Traditional cemetery burial gives you a headstone on a grave. You have a permanent place to visit, but you’re looking at stone in the ground. The person isn’t there anymore. It’s just a marker.
Scattering ashes somewhere meaningful sounds nice, but once you scatter them, they’re gone. There’s no specific place to return to. You might remember the general area, but there’s nothing there to visit.
Memorial trees give you something different. The tree is alive and growing in a permanent location. Your loved one’s ashes are actually inside the tree, feeding it as it grows. When you visit, you’re not just looking at a memorial. You’re spending time with a living tree that your person became part of.
The tree grows taller each year. It changes with the seasons. It provides shade and habitat for birds. Your family can sit under it, walk around it, bring kids and grandkids to see it. It’s a place you actually want to spend time, not just a place you feel like you should visit out of obligation.
Peta says it clearly: “We believe that every life leaves a mark, and through our living memorial forests, we turn memories into lasting legacies that nurture the Earth.”
That’s what Wellington Dam offers. Trees that will be here for your grandchildren. A forest that gets stronger as more memorial trees get added. A place that feels peaceful instead of sad.
Living Legacy is helping families create meaningful memorials while shaping a greener future. You’re connecting with nature, the mission, and a growing community.
January 2026 Open Day Forest Tour at Wellington Dam Legacy Forest
Living Legacy hosts regular Open Days where you can experience the forest firsthand. The next one is Thursday, January 22nd, 2026.
There are two sessions:
- Session 1: 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
- 15-minute break for morning tea and car turnover
- Session 2: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Each session includes a guided tour through the memorial forest, morning tea, and Q&A with the staff. You’ll learn how to create your own living legacy and discover how Living Legacy is shaping a greener future.
The event is free but space is limited. They keep group sizes small to make sure everyone gets a personal and meaningful experience. You need to register in advance.
Locations are limited in the forest. Once spots fill up, you’ll need to wait for future expansion. If you’re thinking about pre-planning, it makes sense to reserve your spot while you can still pick where you want to be.
Schedule Your Visit Forest Tour at Wellington Dam Legacy Forest
You don’t have to wait for an Open Day. Living Legacy does private tours all year.
Call Peta Bilston to set up a time. She’ll walk you through the forest tour, explain how it works, and answer questions. Private tours work well if you want more one-on-one time or if the Open Day dates don’t fit your schedule.
If you have ashes at home and want to do this now, Peta will explain what happens next. It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks from start to finish.
The forest is here. The trees are growing. You can see it and decide if it’s right for you.
Register for January 22nd Open Day Visit the Eventbrite page to register (spaces are limited).
Schedule a Private Visit Contact: Peta Bilston, Chief Forest Officer
Phone: 0427 096 944
Email: cfo@legacyforest.org.au
Website: livinglegacywellingtondam.org.au
Location: Living Legacy, Wellington Dam Forest 1 Wellington Dam Road Worsley, WA 6225
