In May 2025, in Humpty Doo, about an hour south of Darwin, Khemara Uttararangsi Buddhist Temple of NT Incorporated celebrated its 20^th anniversary. The temple was established by Muy Keav Ma and her family and is supported by the local Cambodian refugee community. It is surrounded by a tropical garden, Bodhi trees, and Buddha Park, that houses many Buddhist statues.ⁱ 

The temple hosts resident and visiting monks who provide Buddhist teachings in the Khmer language and is a place for community gatherings and practices. Festivals such as the Cambodian New Year, Vesak and Kathina – which ends the monks’ annual three-month rains retreat – attract increasing numbers of people alongside the Cambodian diaspora. The temple and grounds provide an important connection to Cambodian Buddhist heritage and a place of refuge for local Buddhists and the broader NT community.ⁱⁱ 

By Sue Smith and Anna Halafoff 

Keywords:  

Cambodian Buddhism, Buddhist temples, Festivals, Theravada Buddhism