About The Peninsula Retreat Centre:
The Brahma Kumaris Centre for Spiritual Learning is a peaceful spiritual sanctuary on the Mornington Peninsula dedicated to meditation, self-reflection, and inner wellbeing. Set within a tranquil natural environment, the Retreat Centre offers visitors an opportunity to step away from the pressures of everyday life and reconnect with silence, stillness, and spiritual awareness.
Part of the global network of The Brahma Kumaris, founded in India in 1936, the organisation promotes values such as peace, compassion, respect, and spiritual understanding through the practice of Raja Yoga meditation.
The Retreat Centre welcomes people from all backgrounds and faith traditions, offering meditation programs, workshops, retreats, and spaces for quiet contemplation. Its philosophy emphasises the understanding that every person is inherently peaceful and spiritual, and that positive inner change can contribute to a more harmonious world.
Surrounded by nature and designed to foster calmness and reflection, The Brahma Kumaris Peninsula Retreat Centre serves as both a spiritual learning environment and a place of renewal for individuals seeking clarity, balance, and deeper meaning in life.
The buildings are surrounded by lush bushland
Large pond often used as a quiet reflection space
Front entrance of the main building
The building is designed with a view of nature from every room
The main meditation hall
Front area of the main meditation hall
The Retreat Centre has a variety of meditation spaces
Bookshop display
Known as “Mama”, she helped shape the Brahma Kumaris into the world’s largest women-led spiritual organisation.
Known as ‘Brahma Baba’, the founder of the Brahma Kumaris
History:
The Brahma Kumaris Peninsula Retreat Centre forms part of the worldwide activities of The Brahma Kumaris. The organisation was founded in India in 1936 by Lekhraj Kripalani, later known as Brahma Baba. Beginning as a small spiritual study and meditation group, it gradually expanded internationally, promoting peace, meditation, self-awareness, and values-based living through the practice of Raja Yoga.
As The Brahma Kumaris spread globally during the second half of the twentieth century, the organisation established a presence in Australia in the early 1970s. In 1996, The Brahma Kumaris purchased the property in Frankston South that would become the Peninsula Retreat Centre, now recognised as one of Australia’s distinctive spiritual retreat venues.
The site itself has a unique history. Originally constructed as a staff training college for the State Bank of Victoria, the property later became part of the Commonwealth Bank portfolio following the collapse and takeover of the State Bank in 1990. Several years later, it was purchased by The Brahma Kumaris and transformed into a Retreat Centre dedicated to meditation, contemplation, and personal renewal.
Located within peaceful bushland on the Mornington Peninsula, The Brahma Kumaris Peninsula Retreat Centre has since become a place of silence, reflection, and spiritual learning. Over the years, it has hosted meditation retreats, workshops, seminars, and community gatherings focused on inner peace, positive thinking, and personal wellbeing, welcoming people from diverse backgrounds and faith traditions.
Faith Leader: Sister Jacqueline Russell
Sister Jacqueline Russell is a senior teacher and spiritual leader with The Brahma Kumaris in Australia. She has dedicated many years to the practice and teaching of Raja Yoga meditation, supporting individuals in developing inner peace, self-awareness, and spiritual wellbeing.
Known for her calm presence and compassionate approach, Sister Jacqueline has played an important role in facilitating meditation programs, retreats, and community initiatives at the Peninsula Retreat Centre. Through workshops, talks, and spiritual guidance, she encourages people from all backgrounds to explore meditation as a pathway to greater clarity, resilience, and harmony.
Her work reflects the core understanding of The Brahma Kumaris that lasting positive change in society begins with inner transformation. Through her commitment to spiritual education and wellbeing, Sister Jacqueline continues to contribute to interfaith understanding, community connection, and the promotion of peace throughout the wider Victorian community.