Inviting Mr Cull to cut the ribbon on the newly restored Northern Cemetery mausoleum, Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand chairman Stewart Harvey asked Mr Cull if the council needed advice on delivering a project on time and on budget, without causing controversy or costing ratepayers.
The mayor responded the Dunedin City Council had "more offers of help than we seem to know what to do with".
About 150 people gathered in front of the restored tomb for the celebration.
Numerous speakers - including Mr Cull - paid tribute to Mr Harvey's success in raising funds for the $345,000 project, which had been on the backburner for years because of a lack of funding.
Speakers included stonemason Marcus Wainwright and stained glass artist Peter Mackenzie, who both worked on the restoration. They were also thanked for their contribution.
Mr Harvey said the restoration rescued from "oblivion" a special part of Dunedin history, the family mausoleum William Larnach built in 1881 as a memorial to his first wife, Eliza Jane Guise.
Dunedin was lucky to have both architectural heritage, and the skills with which to restore it, Mr Harvey said.
Cameras had been installed, as well as other security measures, to protect the tomb from vandalism, which it had been a problem in the past.
