The first festival at Amaroo attracted local attention and rumours spread due to the secrecy of those involved. This was Prem Rawat and Elan Vital and so naturally there were lies. Bill Wishard, a man of many enthusiasms whose otherwise astonishing life was blighted by his ass-licking and foot-kissing of Rawat, shamelessly lied to the Ipswich Times. He was, at least, correct in saying the conference was not based on any philosophy. Rawat's speeches do not qualify as philosophy but Rawati$m is certainly a religion and though Rawat is no magus, he wished he was, and he does have "followers" including Wishard but just not enough of them to satisfy him.
The Queensland Times, Saturday, October 17, 1992 - Page 7
Ivory's Rock Conference Centre boosts the Ipswich economy
THE Ipswich economy has reaped more than $500,000 from the new Ivory's Rock Conference Centre an organiser said yesterday.
Centre project manager Jan McGregor said only 350 of the symposium's 2000 delegates were staying on site in tents or with nearby Peak Crossing residents.
District motels were catering for the remaining 1650 delegates attending the five-day conference. The pcommodation bill was expected to total $200,000.
The Ipswich Homestead International, Ipswich Motor Inn, and Mary Ellen Motel all reported they were almost fully-booked with conference delegates.
Ms McGregor said hire firms supplied marquees for the partly-constructed centre while district food and equipment supply firms had also benefitted.
Another centre spokesman this week said building and road contractors had already done work worth "hundreds of thousands of dollars".
Construction spin-offs for Ipswich firms are expected to continue over a five-year development span for the centre.
Ms McGregor said only initial development works had begun on the site.
When completed, the centre will have four staff quarters, a conference centre, recreation hall; 350-person dining hall, major carpark, and support buildings.
'Life' forum draws 2000
By PHIL NICKERSON
SUGGESTED links between a major conference at Peak Crossing and eastern religions were dismissed yesterday by organiser Bill Wishard.
The visiting American said the five-day conference at the new 500ha Ivory's Rock Conference Centre off Mt Flinders Rd was "not based on any philosophy" and had no religious links.
The low-profile "quality-of-life" conference, which will conclude on Sunday, has attracted 2000 delegates from across Australia.
Rumours surrounding the Myrine Investments Pty Ltd centre have flourished since the formal start of construction work three months ago.
In the past week, the rumours have included links to groups including the Scientologists, Bahai's, Orange People and transcendental meditationalists, while attendance estimates have gone as high as 10,000.
Mr Wishard dismissed the links and said the extent of the alleged connectionsc and wil attendance estimates indicated how rumours had grown out of all proportion.
He said the conference had been kept low-key for "the privacy of the clients". The conference was advertised by "word-of-mouth".
Mr Wishard said the conference dealt with quality of life and individual values, using the environment as an aid.
The key speaker at the conference, Indian Prem Rawat, was a "popular speaker" around the world but was not a magus and did not attract "followers", he said.
The US-based Rawat would receive no set fee for his lectures.
Conference centre project manager Jan McGregor said the conference was little different to others.
"There is no-one walking around with no clothes on or painted orange … at the end of the day this conference is no different to any other.
She said Peak Crossing residents had been generally "very supportive".
Nearby residents had been fully consulted and informed and could listen to the conference segments on an FM band.
Centre's backers have Channel Island links
THE company behind the new Ivory's Rock Conference Centre at Peak Crossing is incorporate in the Channel Islands and has its Australian base at Murwillumbah
Official Australian Securities Commission records of Myrine Investments Pty Ltd Net list both directors of the company st the same Channel Islands address.
The firm's Australian base is formally recorded as King St, Murwillumbah and its Australian agent, Don Raymond Hogan, is listed at Glen Waverley in Vistoria.
Conference organiser Elan Vital Inc was incorporated in Victoria in 1977 abd has five directors and a isted Victorian agent. Three of the company directors are Queenslanders.
One of the directors is conference centre project manager Jan McGregor.
Silkstone man Bill Storey, 41, was appointed a director on June 30 this year.
Mr Storey yestrerday said he was strongly involved with the company out of his environmental interest.