Towering above the treetops, deep in the heart of the Rainbow Region in northern New South Wales, stands a colourful hand-built seven-storey temple
For the past four decades, Guy Feldmann has been slowly building and adding to the structure, while also carving out a deep underground glow worm tunnel that now spans an estimated 65 metres.
Mr Feldmann said it had been a labour of love that began in 1981, sparked by "magical revelations" on a sacred Native American site at Big Sur in California.
He said the structures had since become a sanctuary to thousands of visitors over the years who had come from near and far seeking spiritual enlightenment.
"Most of them say that it is unique and that they've travelled the world and have never been to a place such as the Rainbow Temple before," Mr Feldmann said.
But he conceded the development approvals had not kept pace with his creative process, casting a shadow over the temple's future.
Council issues demolition warning
Late last year, the Lismore City Council wrote to Mr Feldmann and the co-owners of the property warning that the current structures far exceeded those granted development approval in 1992.
In the letter, the council said it became aware of breaches of development consent in 2007, and in 2019 came to an agreement with Mr Feldmann that any further building work would cease and that the tunnel would be locked and not open to the public.
The council warned that unless a number of conditions were met it would issue an order for the Rainbow Temple to be demolished to a single floor and for the tunnel to be filled in and covered up.
In a statement, the Lismore council said it was investigating the additional works and that no decision had been made about the longevity of the additional floors.
"Council, as a matter of priority, has initially requested the owner provide a Certificate of Structural Adequacy to ensure the building is structurally sound and not an endangerment to the owners, occupants or visitors," a spokesperson said.
Petition to save temple
Supporters of the Rainbow Temple have launched an online petition calling for the council to give them more time to fundraise to pay for the necessary engineering assessments, development approvals and any remediation works.
The petition also calls for the Rainbow Temple to be heritage listed on the grounds it is a "masterpiece of human genius," it "exhibits an important interchange of human values" and is a "development of monumental arts".
It also points to the ecological impact filling in the tunnel would have on the thousands of glow worms and microbats that have made it their home.
Mr Feldmann admits to being a bit of a "renegade" when it comes to his artistic passion but hopes he can work with the council to find a solution that suits everyone.
"[But] this place represents evolution and I can't be restrained by the constricts of bureaucratic laws that make it very difficult for anybody to do anything on their property without paying thousands of dollars to council or to engineers."
Mr Feldmann says despite having no background as a builder, he is confident both structures are safe and sturdy.
He said the temple had been described as "over-engineered" by various builders who had visited the site over the years.
But he acknowledged the council had a job to do.
"I would much prefer that we work together to see our way clear to have this beautiful Rainbow Temple recommended by the council to the state authorities and that we do pass whatever necessary requirements in order that many more people can enjoy the space that it offers," he said.
