Shaolin's first temple outside of China to be built in Australia(2)

Visitors wait to enter Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Henan province, during the National Day holiday last year. Photo provided to China Daily

"I think it will be a worldwide market. It's not just for our city here, it's a regional basis, it's an Australian basis and I'm quite sure it will be an international, worldwide basis as well."

In a region of high unemployment, the economic benefits will be a major positive. It is expected around 1,000 jobs will be available for the construction of the project alone.

"Certainly over and above the initial 380 million dollar development costs the estimates are around 65 million dollars per annum into the local economy, which is huge," said Steve Lawson, the local tourism chief.

Tourism is the second biggest money earner in the Shoalhaven Shire and employs 6,500 people. It is an area where lush mountains meet the sea across fields filled with dairy cows, and many people live there for its beauty, even if work is hard to find.

The temple resort will offer employment opportunities which fit into the lifestyle of the local community which is already geared to welcome tourists.

"The hotel itself is estimated to post some 90,000 people a year and that in itself is just part of the 300,000 people that it is estimated to visit the temple each year, and we'd like to extend an invitation to all of those people to come and experience Shoalhaven outside of the temple while they're here," Lawson said.

Besides extensive bushwalking tracks, Jervis Bay has much more to offer. It is renowned for its majestic marine beauty, crystal clear waters and beauty. It is a scuba diving haven as well.

"It is one of Australia's most pristine natural icons," said another tourism representative Catherine Shields.

"It is a world-famous heritage marine park. It has some the whitest sands in the world, some of the cleanest water and some of the most beautiful scenery. There's also wonderful pods of dolphins. People who visit the temple can go on whale watching cruises and they can see all the beautiful marine life on various cruise boat operators."

There have been local objections to the temple, as usual when something big and new is planned for small communities which resist change. The concerns were more about the development process than the actual project, but mayor Gash said the end result has been sound.

"There have been many millions of dollars going into the planning exercise for this project before we could even put a shovel into the ground. They have certainly done their homework, and it has taken years of planning."

That first shovel will soon begin digging to see a new era created in the 1,500 year old history of China's Shaolin Temple. And it will spread and share culture between two countries who have become firm friends.