Buddhist Society of Western Australia and Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre
Officially launched on Vesak 1973, the Buddhist Society of Western Australia (BSWA) was initially founded by lay Buddhists from Perth, led by Professor Laksiri Jayasuriya. Anchored in the Thai Forrest tradition of Ajahn Chah, BSWA has since grown into one of the largest Buddhist organisations in Australia.
After repeated requests and visits by BSWA members to Wat Nanachat in Northeast Thailand in 1981-1982, Ajahn Chah first sent two Australian monks, Ajahn Jagaro and Venerable Puriso, and then British born monk, Ajahn Brahm to Perth. First living and teaching from Magnolia Street, a BSWA owned residence in North Perth, the BSWA purchased a deconsecrated Anglican Church in Nollamara, Perth in 1987, due to the significant uptake of their teachings and meditations. They renamed it Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre. It remains the headquarters of the BSWA to this day.1
Under monastic leadership, most notably by Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Jagaro, Ajahn Vayama and Ajahn Hasapanna, BSWA has also established multiple Buddhist institutions including Bodhinyana Monastery, Dhammasara Monastery, Jhana Grove Retreat Centre, Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre and the BSWA Boundless meditation group.2 As BSWA’s Spiritual Director since 1995, Ajahn Brahm’s leadership, activities and teachings have had an enormous impact on its popularity. The BSWA has, since its early beginnings, been supported by a strong and diverse lay community. Its success also been attributed to the fact that it appeals to both Asian and Western communities.3
By: Ruth Fitzpatrick, Anna Halafoff
References:
1 “A history of the Buddhist Society of WA,” Buddhist Society of Western Australia (BSWA), accessed June 23, 2026, https://bswa.org/about/history/; “50 years of BSWA – a timeline history,” BSWA, accessed June 23, 2026, https://bswa.org/bswp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BSWA-50-Years-timeline-.pdf
2 “History,” BSWA; “50 years,” BSWA; “Our Locations,” BSWA, accessed June 23, 2026, https://bswa.org/our-locations/.
3 “Ajahn Brahm,” Buddhist Society of Western Australia (BSWA), accessed June 19, 2026, https://bswa.org/teachers/ajahn-brahm/; Nan Tien Institute, “Ajahn Brahm,”; BSWA, “History.”