The History

Sangsurya Retreat Centre began over 30 years ago when husband and wife team, Tony Kruger and Mona Wurtz, met in London and began their 15 year spiritual relationship and marriage. At this time Mona, a Jungian Analyst, was the personal assistant to Mrs Irina Tweedie, the well-known Western meditation teacher of the Naqshbandiyya Sufi lineage.

In 1991 Mrs Tweedie retired from teaching and instructed Mona to accompany Tony back to Australia with the purpose of building a meditation and mindfulness centre which would serve the spiritual well-being of the community. Together they purchased 10 acres of land on the easterly facing escarpment of Old Bangalow Road, Byron Bay with ocean views across the Arakwal National Park to Tallow Beach.

The Bundjalung – Arakwal Bumberlin people are the Aboriginal Traditional Custodians of the Byron Bay region. It was a favourite home base and gathering place for the Arakwal People and Bundjalung nation tribes and clans, and they call the Byron Bay area ‘Cavanbah’ which means ‘meeting place’.

In Sanskrit, Sangha means spiritual community. Surya means the ‘greater sun’ and denotes warmth, courage and vitality. The Hindu god of the Sun is called Surya. He represents the heart of the world, the creator of the universe and the source of all life.

With wholehearted spiritual intent, Tony and Mona named their Retreat Centre ‘Sangsurya’ a Sanskrit word which means “a place where the sun reaches everybody”. 

Tony and Mona were well loved by the local community and so many people hold them dearly in their hearts with gratitude and love. Sadly Mona passed away on 8th October 2005 and Tony passed away on 21st March 2017.