Vanaprastha is a multi-faith ashram in Melbourne's leafy east — built for the third stage of life. Simple rooms, sattvic meals, daily yoga and study, a garden you can put your hands in, and people who'll remember your name.
In Vedic life, Vanaprastha is the season after raising children and earning a living — a turn inward, toward simplicity and service. We offer the place to actually do that, with people from many backgrounds and faiths.
Morning yoga, scripture study, and silent meditation — open to anyone willing to show up. Vedic in roots, ecumenical in welcome. Christians, Buddhists, agnostics and atheists all live here.
Three Indian vegetarian meals a day, mostly from the herb garden you can help tend.
Every Saturday, one resident shares their life story. Five generations, twenty countries, no judgement.
Long-term residency for people aged 55+. You bring your books and your dignity; we bring the warm meals, the company, and the garden.
View rooms arrow_forwardEach room comes with linens, three daily meals, full use of the gardens and yoga hall, weekly housekeeping, and a community of people who'll notice if you don't come down for chai.
North-facing room with an ensuite, study nook and a sliding door onto the herb terrace.
Two-bedroom suite with shared lounge — for couples, siblings, or friends walking this stage together.
Standalone cottage at the back of the garden with private verandah and small kitchen — for those who want more solitude.
Show up for one or all. Residents have a gentle rhythm; visitors and locals are welcome to drop in for most of it.
An hour with the Gita, the Upanishads, or a guest text — read slowly, discussed gently, never preached.
Upon bookingsHatha and chair yoga for older bodies. No flexibility required.
Saturdays · sunset & 4:30 PMDevotional singing with harmonium and tabla. Open mic if you'd like.
Diwali | Holi | Ganesh ChaturthiOne resident is the "book" each week — sharing their life, their work, their loss. The most-attended hour of the week.
WeekendsThree sattvic meals daily. Visitors welcome at lunch on weekends (gold-coin donation).
Sundays 12 PMTulsi, neem, curry leaf, mint, ginger. Tend it, harvest it, cook with it.
Sundays · 12 PM - 5 PMFestival nights, workshops, kirtans and quiet gatherings. Most are free or by donation.
We're not slick. We need cooks, gardeners, drivers, listeners, teachers, and anyone with a story to share. No experience required.
Help chop, stir and serve our community lunches. Wednesdays and weekends.
Weeding, mulching, planting and herb-harvesting. Outdoors, conversational.
Hold a weekly class — anything from English conversation to Sanskrit to chair yoga.
Take residents to appointments, the market or the temple — and stay for chai.
Festival nights, kirtans, workshops — setup, welcome, washing-up.
Sit with a resident, record their stories for the Human Library archive. Training given.
I love the peace and quiet when I come from work tired, and be able to spiritually retire to my abode.
I love the Yoga on weekends as it sets me for the week ahead.
I volunteer in the garden every Tuesday. The residents teach me more Hindi than my grandmother ever did.
No. The teachings we draw on are Vedic, but the household is multi-faith. Residents have come from Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Jain and secular backgrounds. The only requirement is respect for the rhythms of the house.
We're built for the vanaprastha stage — generally 55+. We're flexible if your circumstances make sense for the community; we'll talk it through during your visit.
Yes — your room, three meals a day, utilities, linen, Wi-Fi, all classes and gardens are included. Personal expenses (phone, medicines, the occasional taxi) are yours.
Please do. Saturday lunch is the easiest day — book a tour through the form below and we'll set a table for you. Most residents say the meal made up their mind.
We're not an aged-care facility, but we're well-placed: a major hospital is 10 minutes away, and a GP visits weekly. Residents must be independently mobile when joining.
Resident contributions cover roughly 70% of running costs. The rest is made up by volunteer time, donations, and our public events. We're a registered not-for-profit.
Saturday lunch is the easiest way to meet the household. Bring nothing but yourself.
