Wanderlust World Wanderlust World According to the 2021 Australian Census, 568,483 people identified as Buddhist, representing 2.4% of the total population.
This makes Buddhism the second-largest religion in Australia after Christianity. The community has grown steadily due to immigration from Southeast and East Asia, as well as increasing interest among non-Asian Australians in meditation and Buddhist philosophy.
Australian Buddhists practice various traditions—Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana—with temples and centres in all major cities. Vesak (Buddha’s birthday) is widely celebrated across the country.