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Thousands attend event with Prem Rawat in Australian bushland

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — Nearly 3,000 people from 52 countries attended an international convention at Ivory’s Rock Conference Centre, near Brisbane, Australia, last week.

The four-day event, from Tuesday 27 September to Friday 30 September, featured international guest speaker Prem Rawat, known also as Maharaji, who addresses audiences around the world on the topic of peace. Over the four days, Prem Rawat conversed with and addressed delegates on six separate occasions in the centre’s 4500-seat amphitheatre and in a more simple setting, under a tree on the 768-hectare property.

Ivory’s Rock Conference Centre’s joint chief executive officer, Cath Carroll, described the event as a “complete success.” “This was our 10th international event in 13 years, and people who had been to other events here said it was the best one yet,” she said.

“The people from local businesses who helped out in food preparation and serving were really great,” Ms. Carroll said. “We really could not have done it without them.” She said the event provided significant economic benefit through the use of local suppliers and services, including accommodation and restaurants. More than 140 people were hired locally to assist with catering and other services onsite.

Many delegates stayed onsite, with others booking into hotels in the surrounding areas. Guests staying onsite were accommodated in a range of tent styles, including fully-equipped luxury tents. Guests could also bring their own tents or motor homes. Many attendees took the chance to extend their stay and visit the attractions of the region.

Dennis and Joann Jones had traveled from New Orleans, where two of their bookstores had been flooded under10 feet of water from Hurricane Katrina. “It has been really great to come to this place of beauty and simplicity after what happened there. We feel really fortunate being here,” Mrs. Jones said.

Yugoslavian interpreter Zoran Grbic has been finding times tough in Belgrade after the Balkan war. “It’s good to be here and have a chance to focus on life itself. Everything in Belgrade is falling apart. The economy is bad after the war,” Mr. Grbic said, “but thanks to what Maharaji teaches me, even during the war and the bombing, I could enjoy this life. It’s nice to be in nature and be away from the usual life outside. It’s good to be focused on what is most important.”

Established 13 years ago, Ivory’s Rock Conference Centre is set on 768 hectares of natural bushland at Peak Crossing, near Brisbane, in northern Australia. It has hosted events such as Opera at the Rock and the World Horse Endurance Riders’ Competition. The centre’s facilities cater to large and small conferences and include a 400-seat conference hall, a spectacular 4,500-seat outdoor amphitheatre, an elegant functions centre, a multi-purpose outdoor pavilion, and campgrounds.

To discover more about Maharaji and his message of peace, visit:
The Prem Rawat Foundation http://tprf.org/Maharaji/Maharaji.htm