Holy Monastic Fathers Brotherhood
Holy Trinity Monastery
at Monkerai
Upcoming Schedule and Travel Information
AUGUST 2025
Working Bee,
Hours & Typika
Fri 15 August to
Sun 17 August 2025
Join us at HTM Monkerai for a three-day working bee, where we will continue our efforts to prepare the site for our goal of future monastic habitation.
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A Reader service of the Hours and Typika will be held on Sunday 17th August 2025, the 10th Sunday after Pentecost, and the day of commemoration of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, from 9.00am.
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Arrival can be made from approximately 4.00pm on Thursday 14th August 2025.
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​​​Morning and evening prayers will be held in the chapel at times to be announced.
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Please aim to depart no later than 3pm on Sunday - to avoid wildlife and low-light conditions on the unsealed portions of road.
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Food and drink during the
Dormition Fast
This visit to the monastery site will occur during the Dormition Fast. Friday is a strict fast day, with Saturday and Sunday allowing oil.
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Meals in common for breakfast, lunch and dinner will be held in the trapeza. Please be considerate of the fast for any food you bring to share.
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You are welcome to bring or prepare food for yourself to satisfy your own fasting and dietary requirements - however, please mark it clearly.
Further details and a list of what others are planning to bring can be obtained from James (Brock) on 0402 831 894.
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Assistance to Travel to the Monastery
If you do not have a 4wd vehicle or will have difficulty getting from Dungog to Monkerai, we can arrange to pick you up from Dungog at a pre-arranged time.
There is a well-lit designated parking area in Dungog that has been safe for vehicles to stay overnight in the past.
If it's your first time visiting, and would like to drive in a convoy to be shown the way, we're happy to arrange this with you.
For either of these options, please contact James (Brock) on 0402 831 894 as far in advance as possible.
Planning your trip
Driving
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There are approximately 12 kilometres of unsealed road. Parts of it are narrow, steep, filled with ruts, potholes and large exposed stones
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A 4wd vehicle is a necessity in inclement weather
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Please see the Notes in the Map & Directions section below for further details
Sleeping Arrangements
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Ample space for camping (tent, swag, etc)
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Ample space for car camping
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If you must be indoors, please contact us (spaces limited and subject to approval)
Special Requests
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We can assist with the supply of a tent, sleeping bag, or camping items
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Do you have any special needs that we can assist with?
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Do you need pickup from Dungog or the parking area at Oak Gate Road?
Facilities
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Electricity is available in the kitchen/trapeza for charging phones etc
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Shared cooking and preparation areas - gas hotplates, microwave, 6-burner barbeque, grill pit and open fire (when permitted)
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Flush toilet and port-a-loo
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Limited washing facilities with ample tank water
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Mobile phone reception is limited
THE MONASTERY DRIVEWAY
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The driveway leading up to the Church pad is now closed off
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For smaller and non-4wd vehicles, please enter the monastery loop by turning left where the road splits
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Map & Directions
You can't trust Google Maps or Apple Maps
Directions if travelling SOUTH
​Take the NABIAC exit towards KRAMBACH and travel west towards GLOUCESTER via The Buckets Way
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Remain on The Bucketts Way as you travel through Gloucester and turn south
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Turn RIGHT onto Monkerai Road, south of WEISMANTELS
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Continue as it changes from sealed to unsealed
Turn RIGHT on to OAK GATE ROAD
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Turn RIGHT on to TREVOR TOPS ROAD
Turn RIGHT at the tree with a sign and Cross, outside the Monastery site
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From the Nabiac exit to HTM Monkerai is approx. 1 hour 40 minutes travel time
Directions if travelling NORTH via Dungog (approx. 30 mins)
Travel through DUNGOG and exit onto Stroud Hill Road
In 4km turn LEFT on to MONKERAI ROAD
In 800m cross the train tracks over a high, narrow, single-lane bridge
In 1.3km keep right to stay on MONKERAI ROAD (do not go down Main Creek Road)
In 600m continue as surface changes from sealed to unsealed
In 7.8km turn LEFT on to OAK GATE ROAD
In 1.1km sharp RIGHT on to TREVOR TOPS ROAD
In 3.2km turn RIGHT at the tree with a sign and Cross, outside the Monastery site
Notes
Travelling north, after you exit Dungog, any other set of directions given to you by Google Maps will lead you along gated private access roadways, which essentially become dead-ends. To our knowledge, the above is the only access via public roads.
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Shortly after the turn on to Oak Gate Road, the unsealed roadway briefly becomes single lane with no shoulder, and a steep cliff on one side for a short while. It is safe for travel, but vehicles cannot pass one-another. There are only a handful of homes along this road, so traffic is very little and infrequent, but if you encounter another vehicle, one or the other of you will need to carefully reverse to a point where one can pass the other.
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If your vehicle is too low to handle rough terrain, you can arrange to park it in Dungog (let us know and we can recommend a location) or there is a flat area on the left that you can reasonably park your vehicle at, near the turn on to Oak Gate Road. Then call James to drive down to collect you.
For further information
Please contact Greg Alexandrovsky on 0403 548 889 or James (Brock) Savage on 0402 831 894
or reach out on the Orthodox of Greater Newcastle Signal group