AUSTRALIA’S first human ‘‘body farm’’ opens in Yarramundi in January.
The farm, or Taphonomic Experimental Research facility, will operate within a 200 by 250 metre area on a 49-hectare site in Springwood Road near Lynchs Creek.
Its purpose will be to observe and research the decay of human corpses.
This is usually done by only partially burying corpses or leaving them in the open.
Such work can help with murder investigations or other scientific inquiries.
The site is owned and will be operated by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
The body farm was first mooted in November, 2014.
At the time UTS professor of forensics Shari Forbes told the Gazette she was looking forward to operating the facility.
Professor Forbes has worked in body farms in the United States.
Last year she told the Gazette that an Australian facility was needed because this country’s climate and environment are different to the United States and other countries.
She said this meant bodies in Australia could decay at different rates and in different ways to other countries.
Bodies are usually obtained through people donating their remains to science.
Last year Hawkesbury Council approved the facility after a scientific study maintained it would not contaminate water courses or other parts of the environment.
The Yarramundi body farm will also have high security fencing and be regularly monitored to prevent any disturbance of the corpses by scavenging animals, or by people seeking thrills or pursuing a morbid fascination.
The Gazette tried to contact Professor Forbes for more comment, but was advised she was on leave until next month.
