Vijayaloka: The Next 50 Years

Vijayaloka has served as our retreat centre since 1988: nearly forty years! It has been everything from a place where people learn to meditate to a place where people have been ordained. But we have long outgrown these old wooden buildings. We are embarking on an ambitious project to renovate Vijayaloka to a standard that we can comfortably say it will be ready to serve us for the next fifty years.

Stage One: Communal Space

The first stage of the project will consist of the demolition of dorms 1-3 and the construction of a new communal space with kitchen, dining room and lounge. Modern kitchen facilities will allow us to serve retreats with larger numbers of people more effectively.

This building will also double as a refuge in the event of bushfire, built to BAL29 standards to resist fire. Situated at the entrance, it will also provide a clearer welcome for people coming to Vijayaloka for the first time.

Stage Two: Practice Space

After stage one we will replace the existing communal space with a new shrine room. Located at the bottom of the retreat centre away from the noise of the road, with windows open to the bushland, and large enough for retreats of any size, this will provide a place for inspired practice long into the future.

Stage Three: Living Spaces

The final stage will involve converting the old shrine rooms into new bedrooms, and the renovation of the existing bedrooms. Some of the new bedrooms will be wheelchair accessible and include ensuite shower and toilet facilities for those with accessibility needs.