Nan Tien Temple

Nan Tien Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Berkeley on the outskirts of Wollongong, New South Wales. Built in traditional Chinese palace style by the Fo Guang Shan order, it opened in 1995 on a hillside overlooking the Illawarra escarpment. The complex includes a main shrine, pagoda, gardens, museum and Pilgrim Lodge, serving as a centre for Humanistic Buddhism, cultural education and vegetarian hospitality for visitors.

Visitors can expect a large hillside temple complex built in Chinese palace architecture with ornate halls, courtyards, gardens and a lotus pond. The main shrine hall houses large Buddha statues, while the eight-storey pagoda, museum, art gallery and tea house are open to explore. The setting is tranquil and landscaped with lawns and walking paths. Visitors can join guided tours, meditation and cultural classes, enjoy vegetarian meals, and stay at the on-site Pilgrim Lodge.

Developed by the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Land was acquired in the late 1980s, construction began in 1992 using traditional Chinese palace architecture, and the temple was officially opened in October 1995. It was established to promote Humanistic Buddhism in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

Largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere and a major centre for Humanistic Buddhism in Australia. Functions as a place of worship, cultural education, meditation and community exchange, hosting festivals, art exhibitions, vegetarian culture and educational programs through Nan Tien Institute.