About Us
Highlands End-of-Life Project Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association that provides education, resources and support with end-of-life preparation and after-death care. We are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and are a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR).
There is a growing global movement towards reclaiming the space around death and dying – people are exploring their options and choices, and taking back the power that has shifted to institutions over the recent past. Communities are returning to traditional practices and customs such as caring for their people at home, before and after death, and creating meaningful unique ceremonies.
Education is key, and part of our aim is to help people make informed decisions that are meaningful to them, assisting with preparedness, building confidence, and increasing individual and community agency in this space. Highlands will offer a range of services, including community activities, training and events to help our community feel more empowered to discuss and plan for death.
In 2024, The Grief Group will commence, supporting those left behind in their bereavement, and we’ll establish a volunteer community hospice program to provide in-home assistance to the dying and their caring community.
We’re interested in alternative after-death practices, including home funerals and vigils, and exploring and promoting environmentally sustainable after-death practices like more green burial options.
Our big vision is to build a hospice in the New England, staffed by registered nurses and supported by trained volunteers that will provide compassionate, professional and holistic end-of-life care in a warm, homelike environment.
Our mission is to provide compassionate, respectful and holistic end-of-life support and deathcare
Our Management Committee
The Highlands Management Committee is made up of experienced and passionate community members.
Bec Passey - Chairperson
Bec is a trained end-of-life consultant and brings a wide range of offerings to deathcare including end-of-life planning, death doula services and grief counselling. She has many hats and is committed to being in service to the community. In other incarnations, Bec has been in management roles for not-for-profits, worked in international aid and development for the Australian government, and created and facilitated multiple programs. She has an odd appreciation for policy and strategy, and has worked as a consultant for established organisations and start ups. Bec runs workshops around the New England on a range of topics focused on health and wellbeing, and facilitates yoga, meditation and breathwork. She likes to potter in her garden in the lovely town of Uralla with her partner Andrew and rough collie cross Ziggy-the-dog.
Lauren Moss - Vice Chairperson
Lauren is a Registered Nurse with over 17 years’ experience and is committed to working in rural health. Her specialty area is Paediatrics and has also worked in General Practice, Women’s Health, Drug and Alcohol, and Undergraduate Nursing Education. Passionate about people, communities and connection, Lauren believes that empowered, holistic end of life and deathcare can be transformative for individuals and the community. She has undertaken training as an End of Life Guide (non-medical end of life support person also known as Death Doula or Death Walker). Lauren has cared for people and their families at the end of life, and is excited to be part of a more holistic movement that is reclaiming dying, death and ceremony. When she’s not on shift or working with clients, you'll find Lauren in her beautiful garden, working on projects on her sustainable property or tending to her bees.
Cath Passey - Secretary
Cath Passey has been a social worker and counsellor in the New England for 30 years. In this time, she managed a number of not-for-profit organisations including Armidale Family Support, the Armidale Women’s Centre and Careline. ​ Cath was the Armidale Hospital Social Worker and responsible for bringing in Advance Care Directives at the hospital long before they were commonplace. She has extensive experience in committees and boards and a strong interest in end-of-life support and deathcare. Although retired now, she is an active volunteer at the art gallery and has taken up painting silk scarves as her creative expression. She lives in Armidale with her husband and naughty golden retriever Maxie.
Julia Hardaker
As a registered nurse Julia worked in emergency, theatres, surgical wards, schools, and later in aged and palliative care. After 30 years in health she switched to the not-for-profit, NGO sector, managing the Armidale Women’s Centre and Armidale and District Youth Support Services. Inspired to do some international volunteering, she headed to Afghanistan. She established a capacity building department for the Sanayee Development Foundation and trained a team to deliver a Peace Building package she wrote, delivered across Afghanistan and Pakistan. She also worked as the Change Manager for the Afghan Women’s Resource Centre. Returning to Australia she found herself in Tennant Creek. Another life changing event. She was invited into sorry camps and funerals during her time in the desert which gave her the opportunity to learn a little about death and associated processes with our First Nations peoples. As CEO of AMRRIC she worked in remote communities all over Australia to improve human health outcomes through improving the health and welfare of companion animals. Julia and her business partner joined forces and ran a consultancy business for many years, providing governance and leadership training and capacity building with remote school boards in the NT and WA. She can now, in retirement, contribute to a long-held interest and passion through the Highlands End-of-Life project.
Our Team
Highlands is supported by an amazing team of compassionate, dedicated and skilled people.
Zenith Virago - Technical Advisor
Zenith Virago is a Deathwalker, celebrant and educator and a pioneer at the forefront of the natural death movement in Australia and internationally for over 30 years. Zenith teaches nationally and abroad, including facilitating her Deathwalker and Celebrancy Training. She has been a trainer for the multi-award winning Wedgetail Retreat Community Hospice. Over the years, Zenith has been highly involved with a range of committees – she was a founding member of Amitayus Home Hospice and committee member for the past 25 years. She is the founder of the NSW Charity Natural Death Care Centre. Co-author of the book The Intimacy of Death and Dying, Patron of The Good Funeral Guide, UK, the subject of the international independent documentary, Zen & the Art of Dying, and a guest on ABC RN Conversations. Zenith featured in the award winning death documentaries Tender, and Laura’s Choice, she is a TEDx speaker, 2021 Byron Citizen of the Year and much, much more. ​ We are so pleased Zenith is part of our Advisory Team as our Technical Specialist – she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and is an extraordinary human being.
Emma Lawrence - Operations Lead
Emma has a creative background with thirty-five years experience in film production. In 2018, she took a break from producing TV commercials to fulfil a life-long dream of becoming a Registered Nurse and moving to the country. Having achieved that dream, Emma now works in both her passions of community nursing and film production - albeit a strange combination! Emma has worked in the palliative care setting of rural hospitals in both Orange and Armidale. This is where she gained experience and interest around providing a safe and compassionate environment for her patients and their families for end-of-life care. Originally from Sydney, Emma and her dog Bunny call Uralla home, where she enjoys cocktails with friends in her beautiful house and garden. A hostess and friend to those in need, Emma enjoys creating spreadsheets, gardening and staying active.
Our Constitution's Objective
The Highlands End of Life Project Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association that provides compassionate, respectful and holistic support to the dying and their community through end-of-life and after-death care.
We aim to:
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advance social and public welfare outcomes through the provision of community hospice care
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support mental and emotional wellbeing, and alleviate distress and suffering caused by loss, grief and bereavement through therapeutic services
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build community capacity and increase awareness of end-of-life care and deathcare options through education and resources
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engage in community activities to promote healthy attitudes and responses to dying, death and bereavement
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provide support with after-death care to enhance community wellbeing and advance environmentally sustainable practices
© 2024 by Highlands End-of-Life Project