ABOUT US

OUR MISSION

The primary goal of the Mildura Sky Temple Pty Ltd is to build a Buddhist Temple as a Zen meditation Centre and retreat for our community. 

OBJECTIVES

THE BOARD

Sister Thanh Chan Chan

Sister Thanh Chan Chan, is the presiding spiritual leader of the Sky Temple. A disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh since 2000, Sister Chan lived as a devotee in his monastery at Plum Village, in the south of France. Thich Nhat Hanh is known as the ‘father of mindfulness’ and is recognised as the main inspiration for Engaged Buddhism. As a monk, peace activist, prolific author, poet and teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh has been a major influence on Western practices of Buddhism. His teachings will be central to the meditation and yoga sessions and retreats provided at the Sky Temple, along with walking meditations, community gatherings, art and cultural events and multicultural celebrations, including Oriental New Year and Buddha’s birthday. Sister Chan also trained in Linh Son Buddhist Institute in Paris for 4 years and is supervised by her root temple in Vietnam.

Helen Healy

Helen Healy is the board secretary. She is an arts and cultural engagement consultant based in Mildura with 28 years’ experience in event management, performance, festival direction and executive roles to inform her work. Twice a finalist for the Australian Event Manager of the Year award and nominated as a Victorian Small Business Hero, she has served on many boards and advisory groups including Creative Victoria, Australia Council and Regional Arts Victoria. In 2019 Helen completed a Master of Fine Arts in Cultural Leadership at NIDA, was elected to Mildura Rural City Council – with the portfolios of Arts, Culture & Heritage – and has recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course. Helen is a mother and grandmother and outside of her public life and consultancy business, enjoys a rich creative life that includes the recent completion of her first novel and the composition of over 30 original songs for performance and commissioned work.

Helen Vivian

Curator of the Mallee Sky Garden and board member. For most of her working life Helen worked as a Curator of contemporary art. She has curated many exhibitions including Mildura Palimpsest Biennale (2011, 2013, 2015), and published When You Think About Art, Macmillan Australia, 2008. Before becoming a Curator Helen obtained a B.A. Environmental Design, 1983; and a M.A. in Environmental Studies, 1986; both from the University of Tasmania. Later she added a Master of Arts in Visual Culture, from Monash University, 2004.The Sky Garden brings her passion for art and nature together on a thirty-acre canvas. The garden preserves and displays rare Australian plants with a focus on the Murray Pine community of plants which has been reduced to less than 1% of its former area and is one of the most endangered plant communities in Victoria and NSW. 

Ross Lake, OAM 

Ross Lake is the chairman of the board. He began working in his father’s fuel retail and wholesale distribution business in 1983. He is now Managing Director of Tasco Inland Australia Pty Ltd and is currently responsible for two hundred and sixty staff. The business operates over a large geographic area that is spread from Broken Hill to Kyneton in southern Victoria and all along the Murray Valley to Tumut and most places in between. Ross was the eldest of four children and has spent almost all of his life in the Sunraysia region. His dedication and commitment to the local community is evident in his participation on many local community boards and organisations.  Ross is currently Chairman of Mallee Family Care and Chair of the Mildura Base Hospital Foundation. Ross is a graduate of Monash University with a Bachelor of Economics, a Diploma of Education and a Bachelor of Law degree.