Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery

Author

Heritage Council

Place Number

07196

Location

216 Kingsbury Dr Serpentine

Location Details

Other Name(s)

Bodhinyana Forrest Monastery

Local Government

Serpentine-Jarrahdale

Region

Peel

Construction Date

Constructed from 1983

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
RHP - To be assessed Current 14 Apr 2008

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 01 Jun 2000 Category 1A
Local Heritage Survey Adopted 18 Sep 2020 Category 3

Values

· The place has aesthetic value for its natural setting.
· The Monastery has aesthetic value for its striking design style.
· The place has rarity value as the only known Buddhist forest monastery in Australia.
· The place has associations with the growing popularity of Buddhism on both an international and national level.

Physical Description

The place comprises a monastery and associated buildings located in a rural landscape. The buildings are a mix of brick and tile & brick and colourbond and include a meditation hall, kitchen/dining room, guest accommodation, meditation rooms and an entrance gate and fence. All the buildings are built in harmony with the natural and landscaped surroundings, following natural lines and gradations. The Monastery is enclosed by a stone wall, in which the ashes of deceased local Buddhists are incarcerated. The entry to the Monastery features decorative wrought iron gates, which are supported on stone pillars topped with a tiled gable hood. There are 20 A-frame huts scattered through the grounds for guest accommodation. The grounds are a mix of both native and exotic flora.

History

In 1983, western monks of the Thai forest meditation tradition (Theravada) were invited by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia to establish a monastery near Perth. The site selected was 97 acres (39ha) of undulating land, 60 km from Perth in the Darling Ranges near Serpentine. A tree was presented by the Sinhalese Buddhists and was planted in the monastery’s grounds. The tree derived from a cutting from a tree in Sri Lanka, which dates back to the time of the historical Buddha, in the 6th century BC (making it the oldest historical tree in the world).

Condition

Good.

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use RELIGIOUS Monastery or Convent
Original Use RELIGIOUS Monastery or Convent

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Common Brick
Roof TILE Other Tile

Historic Themes

General Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Religion
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Community services & utilities

Creation Date

05 Oct 2000

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

12 Jul 2022

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.