AUSTRALIA’S first human ‘‘body farm’’ opens in Yarramundi in January.
The farm will observe and research the decay of human corpses.
The farm, or Taphonomic Experimental Research facility, will operate in a 200 by 250-metre area on a 49-hectare site in Springwood Rd near Lynchs Creek.
Its purpose will be to observe and research the decay of human corpses. This is done by 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, who has worked in body farms in the United States, said she was looking forward to operating the facility.
Last year she told Fairfax Media that an Australian facility was needed because this country’s climate and environment are different to the US and other countries. Therefore, bodies in Australia would decay at different rates and in different ways.
Bodies are usually obtained when people donate 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 have high security fencing and be monitored to prevent any disturbance of the corpses by scavenging animals, or by people seeking thrills or pursuing a morbid fascination.
Professor Forbes was on leave and unavailable for further comment.