HH Shri Mataji's Properties
HH Shri Mataji blessed the Australian Collective with 8 National Centres to meet, hold puja celebrations, festivities, camps and enjoy being together. A number of centres are located in the country with beautiful surroundings and the gentle healing powers of immersing ourselves in the nature. Her Holiness was personally involved in selecting and assisting in the purchase of some of the centres.
Most properties have a room set aside as Shri Mataji's bedroom to invite Her attention and blessings.
HH Shri Mataji's Australian Centres
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Clarence St Burwood Sydney NSW
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Railway Pde Balmoral Village NSW
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Chewings St Scullin ACT
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Adelaide Swanport Heights SA
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Albert River Rd Hiawatha VIC
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Mclintock Rd Wamuran QLD
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O’Brien Rd Gidgegannup WA
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Mothers Love Childcare Burwood NSW
Clarence St Burwood Sydney NSW (Established 1987)
HH Shri Mataji's Burwood home was purchased in 1987 and extensive renovations added a second storey with bedrooms and bathrooms and a meeting room upstairs. HH Shri Mataji’s bedroom and bathroom and Sir CP’s rooms on the lower floor were renovated and updated.
Her Holiness and many of Her family members enjoyed staying at 'No 10' on a number of occasions for extended periods, and expressed their great appreciation for the generosity, hospitality and love of the Australian Collective.
HH Shri Mataji's bedroom has been maintained as is and Yogis feel Her strong presence around the property. 'No 10' is considered the National Sahaja Yoga Centre for Australia.
Until recently the Sydney Collective held their weekly meetings at Burwood and it was used to host numerous special Sahaja events including the first Shri Ganesha Puja in the world. The property is cared for by several resident volunteers, and local Yogis enjoy the strong Divine Vibrations of the Centre on occasional visits.
Initially the property was individually owned by 3 Directors and under HH Shri Mataji’s direct guidance Life Eternal Properties Australia (LEPA) was created to place Burwood and other properties into a company so Sahaja Yoga Australia properties are owned by the Collective.
(See Formation of LEPA below) .
Over the years Burwood was the meeting place for Collective programs until complaints by local residents led to the Burwood Council issuing a notice preventing the home being used as a Centre for large regular gatherings. Some investigative work has commenced on developing a preliminary application to the Council for the property use to be changed to allow large gatherings, but concerted support and commitment are needed to progress the process.
Meanwhile HH Shri Mataji’s attention and presence at Her beautiful Burwood home continues to transmit Her Divine vibrations around the country and permeate the atmosphere to those sensitive to them.
Railway Pde Balmoral Village NSW. (Established 1997)
In 1977 while in residence at No 10 Clarence Street in Burwood HH Shri Mataji suggested finding a property out of the city in a quiet country area for Yogis to come together to enjoy and benefit from the nature, and She led inquiries to Balmoral located around 1.5 hours’ drive southwest of Sydney, midway to Canberra, in a quiet village of rural homesteads, farming and orchard properties.
When the 13.27 ha site was purchased it only had a farmhouse, and over the years the NSW and other Collectives have transformed the site with a number of buildings, two water storage dams, and planted hundreds of trees and shrubs creating very pleasant and soothing gardens, gently blending into the native bushland and home to local birds and animals.
The property now has a large meditation hall, commercial style kitchen, store and cool rooms, caretakers’ cottages and sheds and a dedicated camping area and sports grounds, children’s play areas and carparks. A caretaker family live on site and work to maintain and upgrade services and keep the property looking beautiful.
A cottage is dedicated as HH Shri Mataji’s spiritual home where Her bedroom, bathroom and lounge are all lovingly maintained by dedicated local Yogis, and Her spiritual presence is very pronounced.
Balmoral is our major National Country Property and is home to regular celebrations by NSW and ACT Yogis. Yuvas, children and family camps, and large numbers of interstate and international Yogis come together at Easter and other times for multi day celebrations.
HH Shri Mataji’s attention and protection of the property was evident when severe bushfires razed the surrounding area and the flames stopped just before reaching any of Her buildings.
Over the years various options have been considered for the property including a Proposed Residential Village, a Sahaja Yoga School and various extensions to the Meditation Hall.
Albert River Rd Hiawatha VIC. (Established 2001)
Another of HH Shri Mataji’s wonderful gifts is the Victorian Collectives country property ‘Hiawatha’ located some 3 to 4 hours drive east from Melbourne, set in delightful surroundings of lush farmland of gentle rolling hills and native forests of the Gippsland countryside with a substantial building containing numerous bedrooms, a kitchen and an ideal large space for Pujas and enjoying the Collectivity.
Wilson’s Promontory and beaches are nearby, and a meandering Arthur River which is ideal for foot soaking passes through the property. The Collective centre property is also home to sheep, lambs and cattle and a small caretaker's cottage.
National Diwali Puja celebrations are traditionally held at Hiawatha and it has also hosted Children’s Camps, Family Events, Yuva workshops, week-long Clearing Seminars and other national events. The property is a delightful contrast to city life and refreshing for all the senses and the Spirit. All Sahaja Yogis are always most welcome at the beautiful vibration filled centre.
McLintock Rd Wamuran Queensland. (Established 1992)
In 1992 HH Shri Mataji was staying in Brisbane and advised that the Queensland Collective should purchase a property to have a country Collective Centre. She happened to be looking through a newspaper and an advertisement for the Wamuran property had strong vibrations for the 5.4ha site mostly covered with native Australian trees.
As the Collective had limited funds to purchase the property at the time, HH Shri Mataji’s husband Sir CP very kindly paid for the land. These funds were repaid to Sir CP some time later by the Collective. The property only had a very basic shed which was home to a number of families with young children who along with the local and national Collective helped established the vibrations at the property.
HH Shri Mataji helped design the main two storey building with Sahaja architects, and work began with 14,000 mud bricks were made by resident and visiting yogis with clay from the site. Local timber was milled for the building along with recycled timber transported from the Darwin Navy stores.
As the Collective grew and regular Guru Puja celebrations were held at Wamuran the Meditation Room in the Centre became too small to hold all the Yogis and celebrations spread to outside on the lawn area with a gazebo in the garden as the focal point.
Later renovations saw walls removed from the original shed and it was used for larger events, however, electrical and other problems led to the building having to be removed apart from the original cement floor.
With generous National Collective fundraising a new Meditation Hall has been built on the site where Shri Mataji had vibrated the original floor.
Please use this link for a comprehensive description of the purchase and construction of the Wamuran Centre. WAMURAN PDF
O’Brien Rd Gidgegannup WA. (Established 1999)
Gidgegannup is located 45 minutes drive north east of Perth in Western Australia.
A conversation between two yogi's while travelling with HH Shri Mataji led to the very generous gift of 20 hectares of land in the Eastern foothills of Perth which would become the center of Collective activities in Western Australia. She asked that we build her a cottage and that She would come to stay.
Shri Mataji was informed during a car drive that a particular industrial structure near the Perth airport was designed by a yogi builder. During Her Australasian tour. On a flight back from New Zealand, Shri Mataji suggested to the yogi builder to build the Perth Ashram as a hanger. She later drew up plans for an extended structure. The whole idea of having a hangar came from the Divine.
HH Shri Mataji blessed us with two visits to the property where we were to worship Her in the form of Shri Mahavira in 1991, and again as Shri Ganesha in 1992.
The now-familiar hanger nestles gently into the landscape providing Yogis with the opportunity to be together while we praise Her for the many blessings of Her advent and mission to bring peace to humanity. In 2021 a fire in the area destroyed two nearby homes but didn’t reach the property and the Collective Centre was saved. Damage was just ash and smoke, despite being highly vulnerable because of the dry exposed timber around the entire length of the building.
The post fire interaction between the volunteer brigades and collective members had a profound impact when Firefighters offered suggestions about protecting the Ashram leading to the establishment of a workgroup called ‘Gidge Maintenance’ which has made many important improvements to the building, internally and externally. This workgroup deepened the collectivity and the commitment of many yogis.
Adelaide Centre SA (Current)
HH Shri Mataji said If a Centre was established in Adelaide She would visit the city.
Her words have been the inspiration for local Sahaja Yogis to look for a suitable property. After investigating numerous potential properties in and around Adelaide for many years problems with zoning preventing use of a property for group meetings and inviting the public from programs and other restrictions stifled Yogis efforts in their search.
The dedication to keep looking for an Adelaide Centre eventually paid off with the discovery and purchase of a 2,500sqm plot of land within a new residential subdivision 77km from Adelaide at Lot 11 Lovers Lane Swanport Heights near the town of Murray Bridge. Several Yogi families have also purchased adjoining blocks.
The SA Collective plan to build a domestic dwelling which will become the permanent home for H.H. Shri Mataji and their Collective Ashram in Adelaide.
Chewings St Scullin ACT ( Established 1999)
By HH Shri Mataji’s blessings Sahaja Yoga was established in Canberra in 1984 with programs and Pujas being held at numerous public and Collective venues. In 1999 the Collective were inspired to purchase a house to establish a permanent residence for the Collective and a home for HH Shri Mataji’s attention in Canberra.
The deposit for the property was provided from funds raised from a food stall managed for several years by Canberra Yogis at a Computer Fair held monthly at the Canberra Showground, and subsequently at the Canberra Depot. These funds were supplemented by generous donations from individuals within the Collective.
In 1999 a home in Chewings Street, Scullin on the north side of Canberra was found and a deposit was put down with a few families moving in and Canberra’s Collective ashram was born. A board of local Trustees was set up as guarantors for the mortgage of the house which was later transferred to Life Eternal Properties Australia to remove private ownership by the local Trustees to ensure the long term tenure and security of the property for the Collective into the future.
In 2000 renovations were carried out to extend the meditation room, add three bedrooms, an additional living area and amenities, and convert makeshift quarters in the garage into a proper bedroom to be later converted into a room for HH Shri Mataji, enhancing the vibrations in the ashram and surrounding areas.
The ashram has been a focal point for numerous community related Sahaja Yoga activities including hosting Music of Joy on multiple occasions as well as seekers attending regular workshops and Collective programs. A number of Sahaja Yogis (mostly families with young children) live at the ashram which is also enjoyed by the wider Canberra Collective.
Mothers Love Childcare (Established 2001)
In 2001 a property next to HH Shri Mataji’s Sydney Centre at No 10 Clarence Street became available for sale and at HH Shri Mataji’s suggestion the property at No 12 Clarence St Burwood was purchased and set up as a Child Care Centre for Sahaja families and children and other children from the wider community.
Her Holiness took an interest in the set-up of the centre and Mothers Love Childcare Centre became a reality. Later when the centre was operating She often commented at the delightful sounds of the children playing next door outside Her rooms at No 10 Clarence Street when She was living there.
Mothers Love operates as a "Not for Profit" Childcare with any profits directly reinvested into improving facilities in the Centre. The Centre operates in full compliance with the NSW Department of Education & Communities with a ‘High Assessment Profile’.
The Centre provides high educator-to-child ratio, science and art classes, a positive learning environment, educational field trips, music, ballet & meditation, delivered by a permanent caring qualified staff. Classes are provided for 2 to 3 year olds with a maximum 10 in the class and 3 to 5 year olds with a maximum of 18.
Fundraising for the Centre is supported by the Collective with auctions of donated items and the very popular high teas. Mothers Love Childcare is a separate entity with a Board of Directors managing day to day affairs.
LETA Protecting the Collective’s properties
Formation of LEPA by HH Shri Mataji
As Trusts in Australia are not allowed to own properties Life Eternal Trust Australia (LETA) sought specialist legal advice to safeguard and ensure the ongoing ownership of the properties by the Collective. With HH Shri Mataji’s direct involvement She created Life Eternal Properties Australia (LEPA) as a Sole Corporate Trustee within LETA to hold and manage and secure our properties.
Within this arrangement the Collective are the owners of our properties and the Trustees or any other individuals have no direct ownership or personal financial access to the properties.
The LETA Trustees have been closely involved in the purchase arrangements or transfers of properties to LEPA and through a rigorous application process were able to achieve substantial saving for the Collective.
A ‘not for profit’ expert legal firm provided further enhancements to the Trust so the Office of State Revenue could approve the transfer of titles of No 10 Clarence Street and the Canberra Scullin property from individual names to LEPA. With these changes the Office of State Revenue agreed to not charge Stamp Duty for the transfer and the Trustee-Directors saved the Australian Collective $170,000 in stamp duty. The process also secured the Title for No 10 Clarence St against any possible legal claims.
These enhancements to the LETA Trust were key to meeting the Government requirements for ‘not for profit’ entities to own and manage their properties in the safest, most secure way.
A windup clause was added to LETA to ensure that if LETA was ever wound up and its assets were ever disposed they would be transferred to a like body being LET Western Australia and not under the direction of the Trustee-Directors. This ensures all the properties always remain owned by the Australian Sahaja Yoga Collective.
