ALLAN Heywood will forever stand up for what he believes in.
The 64-year-old Victorian this week became the first Australian to be buried upright, at the country's first 'green' cemetery.
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As he battled cancer, Mr Heywood insisted that if it took his life, he wanted to be buried vertically.
"The idea of being buried vertically is of no significance to me. I'll be dead so I won't be uncomfortable," he said recently.
Mr Heywood died last Tuesday and was buried at the Kurweeton Road Cemetery, near Derrinallum, in western Victoria, yesterday.
The Skipton man's body was lowered into a three-metre deep cylindrical grave in a biodegradable body bag.
There were no candles, music or other paraphernalia.
His grave will not be maintained but be left in a 'natural state', and a tree will be planted nearby in his honour.
Mr Heywood was the first customer of Upright Burials, which says it provides "a distinct alternative to funeral and cremation services".
The cost of the 'green' burial is $2750 - just a fraction of a normal burial - and can be organised and paid for online.
Upright Burials managing director Tony Dupleix said everything went as Mr Heywood wanted - simply and naturally.
