Heath Ledger honoured at Perth funeral

A cast of Hollywood stars and family members have bid farewell to Australian actor Heath Ledger at a private memorial service in Perth.

Michelle Williams and Kate Ledger (c) arrived together, while actress Cate Blanchett and model Gemma Ward were also among the mourners at the memorial service in Perth

Oscar-winning actor Cate Blanchett gave a eulogy, before Ledger's body was taken to be cremated at an intimate funeral service attended by 10 close family members.

Ledger's former fiancee and co-star in the 2005 hit Brokeback Mountain, Michelle Williams, was accompanied to the service by his older sister Kate. However, the couple's two-year-old daughter Matilda stayed at home.

Other mourners included the model Gemma Ward and Australian actors Bryan Brown and Joel Edgerton, as well as film directors and sports stars.

Ledger's death from a seemingly accidental overdose of prescription drugs on January 22 stunned film fans across the world.

A New York medical examiner last week said the 28-year-old had taken six types of painkillers and sedatives.

The actor was seen as a rising star in the Hollywood firmament after winning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain.

Kim Ledger told journalists the family wanted to be allowed to grieve alone

More recently he played the joker in a new Batman film opposite Christian Bale and Michael Caine, due to be released in Britain this summer.

Kim Ledger, the star's father, begged the media to let the family grieve in peace, but allowed photographers to cover the service from outside Penrhos College, the girls school in which it took place.

"It's a pretty sad time and we are finding it difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world," Mr Ledger told the press before the funeral.

"Having said that, we do really appreciate the outpouring and the emotional support from all over the world."

Afterwards mourners attended a wake at a colonial-style waterfront restaurant on Cottesloe Beach, a surfing resort that had been much frequented by the dead actor.

The programme of the memorial service for the late Hollywood actor

Mourners said the service started with a traditional aboriginal dirge on the didgeridoo by local musician Levi Islam.

It also included film footage of the actor and recordings of his favourite songs, which included the Bob Dylan hit The Times They Are A Changing, Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, and the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun.

"It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful West Australian, an outstanding guy with great talent," said Barbara Stott, a state lawmaker who attended the service.

A Los Angeles memorial last week attracted a host of stars including Tom Cruise, Lindsay Lohan and Josh Hartnett.

Mr Ledger said his son was a typical Australian guy who did not seek fame for its own sake.

"My image of Heath in New York is him with his skateboard, a canvas bag and his beanie - that was Heath to me," he said in the days after his death.