How to Write an Obituary in Australia (Free Template)

What to include in an obituary, how it differs from a death notice, how long it should be and where families usually publish it, with a free template you can print and fill in, and a short example to start from.

By Kate B, reviewed by Chris K · Last updated 5 October 2026 · Editorial standards

Key points

• A death notice is a short announcement; an obituary tells a little of the person's life story.
• Most obituaries follow the same order: the announcement, their life, their family, then the service details.
• Specific details (a saying, a habit, a place they loved) say more than a list of qualities.
• Leave out their full date of birth, home address and anything that says when the house will be empty.
• Ask one or two family members to read it before it's published, mainly to check names and spellings.

Writing an obituary is one of the first things many families are asked to do, often within a day or two of a death and often by someone who has never written one before. It doesn't need to be perfect or polished. It needs to be accurate, it needs to sound like the person, and it needs to tell people what they need to know. This guide walks through it step by step, with a free template at the end you can print and fill in.

What Is the Difference Between an Obituary and a Death Notice?

A death notice is a short, formal announcement that someone has died. An obituary is longer and tells something of their life.

In Australia, people use the two words loosely, and many families write something in between: a short announcement with a few lines about the person. That's perfectly fine.

If you're short on time, a death notice is enough to let people know. You can always share a fuller obituary later, at the service or with family.

What Should an Obituary Include?

Most obituaries follow the same order, which helps readers find what they're looking for. You don't have to include every part.

1. The announcement. Their full name (and any name people knew them by), the date they died, their age, and where they lived. Some families mention where they died or say it was peaceful. Others prefer not to give a cause, and that's entirely up to you.
2. Their life. Where they grew up, work or study, places they lived, and what filled their time. Two or three details are enough.
3. Who they were. What they were like, what they cared about, what people will remember. This is where the obituary comes alive.
4. Their family. The people closest to them, and sometimes people who died before them ("reunited with…").
5. The service. Date, time and place, or a note that it will be private. Some families add a livestream link, a dress code, or where to send donations instead of flowers.
6. Thanks. An optional line thanking carers, a hospital ward or a community.

How Do You Start Writing?

Start with the facts, not the feelings. Getting the names, dates and places down first gives you something solid to build on, and it's the part people will check most closely.

A simple way in:

• Gather the facts. Full name, date of death, age, the suburb or town they lived in, and the service details.
• List the people. Partner, children, grandchildren, siblings. Check spellings, and check how people want to be named (for example, whether a partner is listed, or how blended families are described).
• Jot down five things. Not adjectives, but things: a place, a habit, a saying, a job, a joke. "Never missed a Saturday at the footy" says more than "loved sport".
• Write it badly first. A rough draft that gets everything down is easier to fix than a blank page.
• Then cut. Most first drafts are too long. Keep what sounds most like them.

If writing feels impossible right now, ask someone else to draft it while you add the details. Many families share the job.

How Do You Make It Sound Like Them?

Specific details do the work. Long lists of good qualities (kind, generous, hard-working, loving) tend to blur together and could describe anyone. One true detail tells people who this person actually was.

Compare:

• "She was a generous and caring person."
• "She never let anyone leave her kitchen without a container of leftovers."

A few ways to find those details:

• Ask family and friends for one memory each.
• Think about what they always said, or always did.
• Think about where they were happiest.
• Look through photos (which is also a good start if you're putting together a memorial video).

Humour is welcome if it suits the person. Many of the most loved obituaries make people smile as well as cry. If you're unsure, read it aloud to someone who knew them and see how it lands.

How Long Should an Obituary Be?

There's no fixed length. Most obituaries written by families run somewhere between 150 and 400 words. A newspaper may charge by length or set a word limit, so check before you write.

A useful approach is to write two versions:

• A short one of about 50 to 80 words for a paid newspaper notice or a funeral home website.
• A longer one to share online, by email, in the order of service, or to read at the service.

Where Do Families Publish an Obituary?

Families commonly publish in one or more of these places:

• A newspaper's funeral notices, in print, online or both. These are usually paid, and prices and deadlines vary by paper.
• The funeral home's website, if the funeral director offers this.
• An online notice or memorial site.
• Social media, shared by family.
• Privately, by email or message to family and friends.
• The order of service or read aloud at the funeral.

If you're using a funeral director, they'll often handle newspaper notices for you or tell you the deadlines. Check the wording and spelling on any proof before it's published, because a mistake in print is hard to fix.

What Should You Leave Out?

Leave out details that could help a stranger misuse the person's identity, or target the family's home while everyone is at the service.

The NSW Government's ID Support service notes that identity crime can target people who have died, not only the living. So it's sensible to keep an obituary to what it needs:

• Leave out their full date of birth (the year, or their age, is enough).
• Leave out their home address and any detail that pinpoints it.
• Leave out their mother's maiden name and any account, licence or document numbers.
• Think twice about saying exactly when the service is if the home will be empty and the address is easy to work out. Some families ask a neighbour or friend to stay at the house during the funeral.

If you think someone has misused the person's identity, IDCARE, Australia's national identity and cyber support service, offers free help on 1800 595 160, as listed by Services Australia.

A Short Example

Here's an example written for this guide. The person is made up, so you can borrow the shape without borrowing anyone's life.

MARGARET ANNE (PEG) HOLLOWAY

Peg died peacefully at home in Ballarat on 2 October 2026, aged 84, with her family around her.

Born in Geelong, Peg trained as a nurse and spent thirty years on the wards of the local hospital, where she was known for her calm hands and her terrible puns. She grew tomatoes, knitted for every new baby in the street, and never let anyone leave her kitchen without a container of leftovers.

Loving wife of the late Ron. Much-loved mum of Sarah and David, mother-in-law of Mei, and Nanna to Josh, Lily and Ava.

Family and friends are warmly invited to celebrate Peg's life at the community hall on Friday 9 October at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations to the local hospice would be appreciated.

Our thanks to the community nurses who cared for Peg at home.

How Mixtape Memories Can Help

An obituary tells people who someone was in words. Some families also want to show it, with a short tribute video of photos and music played at the service or shared with people who couldn't be there. If you'd like help putting one together, we can help, whether you make it yourself or ask our team to make it for you. Create your memorial video when you're ready, or read Memorial Video Ideas: 15 Ways to Tell Their Story first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an obituary and a death notice? A death notice is a short, formal announcement that someone has died, usually with the service details. An obituary is longer and tells something of the person's life: where they came from, what they did, who they loved and what they were like.

How long should an obituary be? There's no fixed length. Most obituaries written by families run somewhere between 150 and 400 words. A newspaper may charge by length or have a word limit, so check before you write.

Who usually writes the obituary? Usually a close family member, sometimes with help from others. Some families ask the funeral director or celebrant for help, and some share the writing between siblings or friends.

What should I leave out of an obituary? Leave out the person's full date of birth, their home address and anything that tells strangers when the house will be empty. Identity crime can target people who have died, so it's sensible to share only what the notice needs.

Do I have to publish an obituary? No. Publishing an obituary is a choice, not a requirement. Some families publish one, some share it only with family and friends, and some read it at the service instead.

If you're looking for other ways to remember them, Memorial Ideas Beyond Flowers has keepsakes, tributes and ideas for later on. And if the days after the funeral are feeling heavy, our page on grief support in Australia lists free services you can call at any hour.

Planning the rest of the funeral as well? Our step-by-step guide to planning a funeral in Australia covers everything from the first hours to the paperwork afterwards.

A free obituary template. Print it, or copy it into a document, and fill in the parts you want. Skip anything that doesn't fit.

Obituary Template

Their name

• Full name: ______________________________
• Name people knew them by: ______________________________

The announcement

(Name) died (peacefully / suddenly / after a long illness) at (home / place) in (suburb or town) on (date), aged (age).

Their life (two or three details)

• Born in ______________________________
• Work, study or what filled their days: ______________________________
• Places they lived or loved: ______________________________

Who they were (one or two true details)

• Something they always said or did: ______________________________
• What people will remember: ______________________________

Their family

• Partner: ______________________________
• Children and their partners: ______________________________
• Grandchildren and great-grandchildren: ______________________________
• Brothers and sisters: ______________________________
• Remembered with (people who died before them): ______________________________

The service

(Family and friends are warmly invited to / A private service will be held to) celebrate (name)'s life at (place) on (day, date) at (time).

• Livestream or dress code (optional): ______________________________
• Donations instead of flowers (optional): ______________________________

Thanks (optional)

• Our thanks to ______________________________

Before You Publish

• Names and spellings checked with family
• Date of death and age correct
• Service date, time and place correct
• Full date of birth and home address left out
• Read aloud once to someone who knew them
• Newspaper or website deadline checked

Sources

1. NSW Government, ID Support NSW, What is identity theft? (checked 5 October 2026)
2. Services Australia, Help if a scam or identity theft has affected you (checked 5 October 2026)

About the author

Kate B writes and edits Mixtape Memories' guides on planning and personalising a memorial video, with a focus on the family-facing side of the process: what to include, working with limited material, and what comes after the service. The aim is always the same: practical, calm guidance that doesn't add to an already difficult week.

Reviewed by Chris K.