Into an astonishing Social Values Survey, perhaps the first of its kind in Tasmania, hundreds of Hobartians poured out their hearts to the Wellington Park Management Trust. Buried in the report is the revelation that “The summit is the major place in the Park where the ashes of deceased family members are scattered”.

Upon the bench below The Trig, and in the surrounding tor fields and flat stones benches, out of the wind and in the wind, are heavy piles of ash. Small tors, hewn by the hand of the close of kin, sometimes piled, sometimes stood, are the gravestones.

How to scatter ashes

If you plan to honour a relative’s wish in this way, it’s best to wait for a windy day, as ashes left in a pile will not wash off and may stain the rocks; it’s best if they scatter randomly. Don’t leave anything else behind, such as an urn, a plaque, or flowers.