An unexpected death is one of the most destabilising things a family can experience. There is no time to prepare, no gradual goodbye, and the immediate aftermath is managed — at least in part — by authorities rather than by the family. Understanding what the process involves can make those first days a little more navigable.
What counts as an unexpected death in Australia?
In Australia, a death is considered reportable to the coroner if it was sudden or unexpected, if the cause of death is unknown, or if it occurred in circumstances that require investigation. This includes:
- Deaths from accidents, including car accidents, falls, or workplace incidents
- Deaths from suspected suicide
- Deaths from unknown causes — for example, a person found deceased at home with no prior illness
- Deaths that occurred during or shortly after a medical procedure
- Deaths in custody or in care
- Deaths where a doctor is unable to certify the cause
If you are not sure whether a death is reportable, call 000 and the police or ambulance will advise you. When in doubt, call.
Step 1: Call 000
For any unexpected death, call 000. Police and potentially an ambulance will attend. Do not move the person or disturb the scene before police arrive. This is not because the death is treated as a crime — it is standard procedure for any death where the cause is not immediately clear.
When police arrive, they will assess the scene and determine whether the coroner needs to be notified. In most cases of sudden natural death — a heart attack, for example, in someone with no prior diagnosis — the coroner is notified as a matter of procedure but an inquest is not always required.
Step 2: The coroner's involvement
When a death is referred to the coroner, the body is taken to the state mortuary for examination. A post-mortem examination (autopsy) is usually conducted to establish the cause of death. This process takes time, and the body cannot be released to a funeral director until the coroner authorises it.
The time this takes varies significantly. For a straightforward unexpected death with a clear natural cause, it may be a matter of days. For deaths involving an investigation or inquest, the body may be held for longer. The coroner's office in your state will be your point of contact and can give you updates on timing.
Not all coronial cases require a formal inquest. An inquest is held when the coroner needs to investigate the circumstances of a death more thoroughly. It may be weeks or months before findings are published. Your family does not need to wait for an inquest to arrange the funeral — the body will be released once the examination is complete, which is typically well before any inquest proceedings.
Step 3: Contact a funeral director
You can contact a funeral director before the body is released. In fact, it is helpful to do so early — they can liaise with the coroner's office directly, advise on likely timeframes, and help you begin planning while you wait.
Let the funeral director know the death was unexpected and that the coroner is involved. They are familiar with this process and will manage the collection from the mortuary when the body is released.
Step 4: Notify family and close friends
There is no right way to do this. Tell the people who need to know. Be brief. You do not need to have answers to every question yet — most people asking are asking out of love and shock, not expecting a detailed account.
You may find it helpful to nominate one person to manage communications so you are not repeating the same conversation many times.
Step 5: Support for family members
Sudden deaths are traumatic in a way that expected deaths are not. The absence of any farewell, the shock, and often the involvement of emergency services and police can leave family members with significant distress on top of their grief. There is no normal timeline for this kind of loss.
Grief counselling and specialist support for traumatic bereavement is available. Griefline (1300 845 745) offers free telephone support. Your GP can also refer you to a psychologist if needed.
Planning the funeral
Once the body is released, the funeral process is broadly the same as for an expected death, though the timeframe may be compressed. You may find yourself planning a funeral while still in acute shock — if possible, ask someone you trust to help coordinate the practical details.
Our funeral checklist covers every decision you will need to work through. Our guide to how to plan a funeral in Australia goes into more detail on the service itself.
Paperwork and the estate
Unexpected deaths often mean the person had no Will or had not made any arrangements. In these cases, the estate will be administered under the intestacy laws of the relevant state. See our guide to what happens if someone dies without a Will in Australia.
The death will still need to be registered and a death certificate obtained. The funeral director typically manages registration. For more on the steps that follow the funeral, see our guide to who to notify when someone dies.
If the deceased was receiving Centrelink payments, these need to be cancelled promptly to avoid overpayments that will need to be repaid. There may also be a bereavement payment available to an eligible partner or carer. See our guide to the Centrelink bereavement payment for details.
When you are ready to take the next steps.
Remember Well• helps families work through everything that follows a death — at their own pace, in their own time.
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