The Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (BMIMC) in Medlow Bath, Blue Mountains, was established in 1992 for the teaching and practice of insight meditation (satipaṭṭhāna, vipassanā) in the tradition of Venerable Mahāsi Sayādaw (1904–1982) of Myanmar. Courses are taught by local and international monastic and lay teachers.¹ 

The centre is owned and managed by the Buddha Sasana Association of Australia (BSA), a non-profit organisation founded in 1981 and incorporated in 1986. In 1981, a small group of people who had experienced the benefits of Mahāsi-style insight meditation in Asia wanted to continue their practice in Australia. Carol Bigot, Grahame White and Lynne Bousfield formed the Buddha Dhamma Insight Meditation Society and invited American Joseph Goldstein to lead retreats in 1982. There was also a historical connection with Wat Buddha Dhamma, as some of the monastic and lay teachers affiliated with BMIMC led vipassanā retreats there in the 1980s.² 

As the worldwide popularity of insight meditation grew, it became increasingly difficult to continue inviting teachers from the United States. The BSA then decided to go to the source, the Mahāsi Meditation Centre in Yangon, Myanmar, and sponsored Sayadaws U Pandita and U Nanapunnika to lead a retreat at Kerever Park near Bowral in November 1985. This marked the beginning of the BSA’s connection with the Burmese community.³ 

Courses and retreats at BMIMC are open to people of all cultural backgrounds, gender identities, religions and ages. The centre embraces inclusivity and diversity, seeks inspiration from the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, and aspires to develop an “Australian Buddhism”.⁴ 

By: Sioh Yang Tan and Juewei Shi 

References: 

¹ “About BMIMC,” Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre, accessed September 8, 2026, https://bmimc.org.au/about-bmimc/. 

² Graham Wheeler, “The first decade,” Buddha Sàsana Newsletter of the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (Medlow Bath), Spring–Summer 2004, http://bmimc.org.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Spring2004.pdf; Graham Wheeler, “Our history continued . . . ,” Buddha Sàsana Newsletter of the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (Medlow Bath), Autumn–Winter 2005, http://bmimc.org.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Winter_2005.pdf; “Dhamma Pioneers: A new book on Buddhism in Australia,” Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre, December 11, 2021, https://bmimc.org.au/dhamma-pioneers-a-new-book-on-buddhism-in-australia/. 

³ Wheeler, “The first decade.” 

⁴ “About BMIMC,” Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre.