From 15 to 17 November 2025, the Buddhism in Australia research team completed its sixth and final round of fieldwork across New South Wales. The team included Anna Halafoff, Cristina Rocha, Venerable Juewei, Yang Tan, and video producer Freeman Trebilcock.
The fieldwork began in Burwood, Sydney, where the team documented a Mahadana (multi-tradition almsround) organised by the Metta Centre to mark its 10th anniversary. Around 30 monastics from diverse Buddhist traditions participated. The team also interviewed Tina Ng, founder and president of the Metta Centre, about its role as a non-sectarian Dharma learning space for young people.
The team then travelled to Cowra, where interviews with Lawrence Ryan and Japanese Buddhist priest Reverend Watanabe explored the legacy of the 1944 Cowra Breakout and the role of Buddhism in reconciliation and healing.
They also visited Jongbopsa in Belfield, the largest Korean Buddhist temple in Australia, documenting its distinctive architecture, lotus lanterns, and stone arhats created by the founding teacher, Venerable Gihu.
Cristina Rocha and Freeman Trebilcock also interviewed Rev. Shigenobu Watanabe, a Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) priest who has been in Australia since 2000. He told us of the work he does as a chaplain in the North Shore hospital, emotionally supporting patients and their families even when they don’t have any religion. Over the years, Rev Watanabe has also performed memorial services at the Cowra Japanese War cemetery. Every August 5th, the breakout day, a Buddhist priest performs memorial rituals to commemorate those who perish on the day. Rev Watanabe offers incense, reads sutras and chants in order to pay his respects to them. The interview was rich in detail of the work he does for the Japanese community in Sydney and his hopes for Buddhism in this country.
The final fieldwork site was Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Buddhist Temple Parramatta. Anna Halafoff interviewed Venerable Juefang, General Manager of the Hsing Yun Education Foundation, who reflected on the temple’s history as Fo Guang Shan’s first Australian branch and the Foundation’s support for Buddhist education, scholarships, and research, guided by the vision and resolve of Venerable Master Hsing Yun.
The team concluded the fieldwork with planning workshops at Nan Tien Institute. The project will produce academic publications, a digital map of Buddhism in Australia, and educational resources to share with the communities that have contributed to the research.