From 1852 until the late 1970’s, Melbourne General Cemetery was administered by its own cemetery Trust. Over this time the cemetery experienced both prosperous and hard times.
In 1978 the Health Commission expressed a lack of confidence in the Trust and Trust Members resigned under threat of prosecution. An interim board of three Trust Members representing the Commission of Public Health was appointed to oversee cemetery operations. These Trust Members administered the cemetery until January 1980, when the cemetery was transferred into the care of The Trustees of the Necropolis, Springvale.
Upon taking over administration of Melbourne General Cemetery, Necropolis inherited all the problems in relation to the ongoing viability of the cemetery, not the least being the shortage of revenue in relation to the expenditure required. With the Springvale cemetery site capable of financially subsidising Melbourne General Cemetery, works commenced to rectify the deterioration that was evident throughout the grounds.
In more recent years, Necropolis funded the construction of Mausolea buildings and re-opened the cemetery for the sale of new graves. These revenue generating initiatives provided funds to maintain the site and contributed towards ongoing preservation.
Under legislative process, on 1 March 2010 The Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries Trust and The Trustees of the Necropolis Springvale were merged to create the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust. Melbourne General Cemetery is now one of the sites administered by that Trust.