After Far North Queensland, Darwin and Broome, we travelled to New South Wales and Southeast Queensland in early December 2024 for the third field trip of the project.
This eight-day journey took us on a 832-km road trip across New South Wales, and 459km in Southeast Queensland. Joining Venerable Juewei were Cristina Rocha, Anna Halafoff, Sioh Yang Tan, and the videography team Freeman Trebilcock and Filip Milovac.
Together, they explored the rich diversity of Buddhist organisations in Australia, delving into their history, community contributions, and unique approaches to Dharma propagation.
The fieldwork focused on temples and organisations established since the 1970s, revealing how Buddhism has adapted to meet local needs through spiritual guidance, education, and charity.
The team’s journey began at Pal Buddhist School in Canley Vale, southwest Sydney, where they interviewed Founding Principal Panha Pal. The school’s curriculum, designed to integrate Buddhist principles into daily life, provides a model for values-based education.
At Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple near Wollongong, the team explored the legacy of Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Discussions with Venerable Man Ko the Chief Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Australia and New Zealand highlighted the Venerable Master’s vision in nurturing talents to benefit society through the education program offered at Nan Tien Institute.
At Chung Tian Temple, we learnt from Abbess Man Wang about how Fo Guang Shan navigated challenges in temple-building and connecting with the local community through the practice of “giving”.
In Bilpin, the team visited Mountain Spring Monastery, part of the Plum Village network, where Brother Tenzin shared on the story of resilience of the local people in the aftermath of the 2019 bushfire. He also spoke of how the generous love from the Vietnamese community played a vital role in building the place.
René and Jane Buhler in the Blue Mountains recounted their half-century-long association with the Australian Buddhist Vihara, which serves both Sri Lankan immigrants and the local community.
Historical connections were explored at Marie Byles House (Ahimsa)* in Cheltenham. Marie Byles (1900–1979), an environmentalist and Buddhist pioneer, was a significant figure in the history of Buddhism in Australia. Gillian Coote of Sydney Zen Centre shared stories of Byles’ life and her love of nature, which drew her to Buddhism.
- A big thank you to National Trust NSW for allowing us to film at Ahimsa for research purpose.
We also visited Wat Buddha Dhamma, a landmark of historical significance in the history of Buddhism in Australia. Then at Sydney Zen Centre Kodoji, we interviewed Subhana Subhana Barzaghi, a senior resident Zen teacher, who shared with us her journey in Buddhism as well as the development of the centre.
On the last two days, the journey continued to Queensland, where the team visited Chenrezig Institute, the first Tibetan Buddhist centre in Australia, celebrating its 50th anniversary. We interviewed Venerable Pende and Geshe Phuntsok Tsultrim, Chenrezig’s resident Geshe. At Karuna Hospice, Interviews with the spiritual care practitioner Venerable Tsultrim, highlighted the importance of the Dharma in sustaining her practice. At Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, a Theravada monastery, the team witnessed the serene practice of Buddhism in the forest.
Venerable Juewei remarked on the remarkable diversity of Buddhist activities across Australia despite the small size of the Buddhist population.
The “Buddhism in Australia” research project continues to uncover stories that inspire and illuminate, offering a deeper understanding of how Buddhism contributes to Australia’s multicultural and spiritual landscape. In April 2025, we will journey south to Tasmania and Victoria, where we expect to find a tapestry of stories about Buddhism from the past and the present.