Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden is a dedicated memorial space located at Bunurong Memorial Park in Dandenong South, Victoria. It provides a peaceful and beautiful place for families to visit, reflect, and remember babies lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death. The garden was created through a collaborative effort between Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT), Miscarriage Information Support Service, Red Nose, Miscarriage Australia and community. It stands as a lasting tribute to the babies who are loved and remembered, and offers families a physical place of connection and comfort, and the option to purchase a token in memory of their baby.

“Forever In My Heart” Sculpture

In 2019, MISS commissioned the “Forever In My Heart” sculpture, which now stands as a centrepiece of the Butterfly Garden. The sculpture provides a focal point for families visiting the garden, offering a place to sit, reflect, and feel close to the babies they carry in their hearts.   The sculpture was created by artists Brigitte Dawson and Melisa Turner from Melbourne’s Murals, and was funded through a Dunkley Federal Government Stronger Communities Programme Grant.

In My Heart Sculpture Design

Many tiny pieces of broken mirror were used for the heart, symbolising a shattered reflection of a future never realised.  Light shines in all of these tiny broken pieces reflecting the love that we feel. Each of our journeys are unique, like the little pieces of shiny mirror in this heart.  The gemstones were specifically chosen to give positive energy, healing, inner peace and compassion to move on with love in one’s heart.

Memorial Tokens

Families can purchase memorial tokens through the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust to place within the Butterfly Garden. These tokens offer a personal and lasting way to honour the memory of a baby, and can be visited at any time. For information about purchasing a memorial token, please contact SMCT directly. https://my.smct.org.au/new-appointment/

Chrysalides and Winding Path

The garden features  a winding pathway designed for quiet reflection. The chrysalis sculptures symbolise transformation and hope, while the pathway invites visitors to walk slowly through the space, taking time to remember and find peace. This is a place of quiet remembrance, designed in close consultation with  community. The seatiing invites visitors to pause, reflect, and feel a sense of connection to the babies they hold in their hearts. Every curve and detail of the chrysalis sculptures carries meaning, representing love, loss, and the enduring bond between parent and child. It stands as a permanent and tangible tribute within the Butterfly Garden. The garden is open to all visitors and can be accessed during Bunurong Memorial Park’s regular opening hours.