Camino Australia

A Long-Haul Pilgrimage: Singapore to Cape Finisterre by Bicycle

2011-05-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

In 2002 I got on my bike and cycled from my home town of Melbourne to Darwin, crossing the Australian Outback in 90 days. I was preparing for an ambitious bicycle tour which would take me from North Cape in Norway to Cape Town in South Africa. As things turned out, I landed a job in South Korea teaching English, and after completing my work there in mid-2004, I needed a real holiday. I decided to travel, using various modes of transport, across Siberia and southern Europe to

Spain

. There I began a 750km winter walk on the Camino de Santiago, starting at Saint- Jean-Pied-de-Port. Gradually I decided that one day I would undertake a more challenging pilgrimage, by bicycle.

It was no easy task in preparing for such an epic journey: three and a half years would drag on like a gruelling penance. Nonetheless I made progress with having my proposed Cape to Cape Tour (South East Cape, Tasmania to Cape Finisterre) endorsed by an NGO – WaterAid Australia. I also secured a cycle courier job for daily stamina-building exercise and financial support. I collected camping equipment, guide books and maps. Importantly the desired human-powered machine, a Surly Long-Haul Trucker touring bicycle, was ready a year before departure.

I arrived in Singapore from Melbourne and symbolically the flight en route involved a stopover in Darwin, the furthest point reached on the previous bicycle tour. During my 2004 walk on the Camino I had picked up a spare credential del peregrine – as I was now making another pilgrimage, I wished to obtain as many stamps as possible to mark the staging posts. In

Singapore

on the 18^th September 2008 I obtained my first official stamp at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Here a dumbfounded church official silently took my credential, shuffled off down a dark hallway and returned, in what seemed like hours later, with pilgrim’s passport complete with its first official stamp – up-side-down! During the course of my travels in Asia I would experience scepticism from some church authorities. However a little explanation of the motive for my travels usually sufficed to have my pilgrim’s passport stamped.

The first 2126km of my bicycle pilgrimage would take me from Singapore to Bangkok, via Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, the Cameron Highlands and Penang before heading up the coast of the Gulf of Thailand to Bangkok. The tropical heat was oppressive, and the sun burnt my feet through the straps of my sandals. A cold shower and a beer were little rewards at the end of each cycling day.

In Malacca I gained my second credential stamp at the Church of St Francis Xavier, and it seemed a sign boding well for my pilgrimage that I should stumble on, and through, the Portal de Santiago.

From the Thai capital – and for the second time out of a total of four during the entire trip – I had to box my bicycle for the flight over Burma to Nepal, from where I planned to ride down from Kathmandu to

India

. On arrival at Kathmandu, I attracted an audience when reassembling the bicycle at the airport. My first nights were spent in the quieter confines of the Tibetan quarter, around the impressive Bodhnath. Here I met many Buddhist pilgrims, who’d flown in if a tourist or walked if a local, to make their daily circumambulation of the Bodhnath with its watchful eyes of the Buddha! Nepal, once famously Buddhist, is now mostly Hindu, with a scattering of Moslems and an even smaller sprinkling of Christians.

After an exhausting 568km’s cycling, taking two weeks, I found myself receiving the generous hospitality of the Rev Jisay Maharana and his delightful wife Carunia, outside Lumbini. Lumbini is world-famous for being the birthplace in 563BC of Gautama Siddharta – the historical Buddha.

Jisay and Carunia could be best described as a two-person NGO with a mission. For a number of years, through their own hard labour and love, they have built up the Nav Jeevan EnglishBoarding School, which provides an education for all faiths. I would not have found them unless a stranger at a roadside restaurant had pointed me in the right direction, and as I was feeling ill at the time, they offered me their hospitality for several nights’ rest. In a way I felt as though fate had brought me here, and that their good work, helping some of the world’s poorest people, could be compared to that of

Australia

’s St Mary of the Cross. Each day some 175+ students attend the school. The monthly fee of only £1.50 is paid only by those parents who can afford it. When it was time to leave Jisay proudly stamped my pilgrim’s passport with his school’s seal, which displays an open book and the motto Arise and Shine.

The northern plain of India is hazardous for cycle touring, so I had factored this into my planning. Instead I would take a train via New Delhi to Mumbai, from where I would cycle some 1893km to the southernmost tip of India at Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari), yet another revered pilgrimage site for the Hindu faith.

In Goa I experienced a traditional Christmas with midnight mass, in the capital Panjim. Christianity had been brought to Goa, then a Portuguese colony in the mid 16^th century, by missionaries led by St Francis Xavier. In fact my first night was spent in his vicinity! It had been my intention to spend a day at Old Goa, but arriving there in the evening I found only one very dirty and over-priced hotel. I decided that, since I was on a pilgrimage, I would knock on the local priests’ door seeking hospitality. Invited in enthusiastically, I soon sat down to dinner with clergy from the Basilica of Bom Jesus. That night in the professed house I was given a large bedroom. In the morning I was able to attend a service in the basilica (c1605), where lie the remains of St Francis Xavier. The church is a site for many pilgrimages. In the 19^th century the saint’s remains were openly displayed, and once a pilgrim bit off one of the saint’s toes, seeking a relic to take home! For my self, a little memento was another satisfying stamp in my credential.

The state of Kerala is also important in the story of Christianity in

India

. St Thomas the Apostle reached it in 52AD, and established the so-called Seven and Half Churches. One of these is at Niranam, which I found quite by accident, and had my credential stamped. These long-established Syrian churches have interesting features, such as the Hindu-influenced stone candle post where votive flames are lit. On my first full day in Kerala, cycling along, I noticed a very dishevelled man at the roadside. Expecting what I’d become all to familiar with, the automatic hand out for rupees, I was surprised and humbled when in a soft voice he said, “Welcome to God’s Country”.

Once more I had to take to the air, since changes to my original plan of bicycling through Pakistan, via western China, and through the stans of Central Asia, had to be aborted. This was a great disappointment. This was partly due to the political situation in

Pakistan

. I had been in Mumbai shortly after the 26/11 Terrorist Attacks.

The alternative plan was set, and this would involve a rail-buff’s pilgrimage on the Himsagar Express from Kanyakumari back to New Delhi, from where I would fly to Damascus. From Syria, where I became a “hostage of hospitality”, I would continue by bicycle into Turkey and on to southern Europe and so to Cape Finisterre.

I hadn’t much time to brush up on

Syria

, so the thrill of this was the unexpected. On my arrival in Damascus I was hit with the problem of not having access to my money due to a bank error back home, and would have to live on the breadline until I reached Turkey some three weeks later. However, along with Arab hospitality and the presence of a living heritage of ancient Christian monastic culture, my pilgrimage through

Syria

became a genuine experience in a society soaked with religious practice. I was invited into people’s homes for coffee or tea, and on a couple of occasions for a night’s rest.

On the road north of Damascus a fresh dusting of snow mantled the arid hills all around me. I made my way to the Convent of Our Lady of Saidnaya. Here pilgrims seek the Virgin Mary's blessings by praying to an icon believed to have been painted by St Luke the Evangelist. It is notable that Syrian Muslims also pray to the icon as well, for healing and fertility miracles. Some 27km further on is the town of Ma’loula, where Western neo-Aramaic is spoken, said to be the language of Jesus. Here I was made welcome and provided with hospitality by the Greek Orthodox nuns at the St Thecla Monastery. Legend has it that St Thecla was being pursued by soldiers because of her Christian faith. She came upon a mountain, and after praying, the mountain split open and let her escape through a long passage still to be seen today.

Next, I skirted the Syrian Desert and arrived at the impressively located Deir Mar Mousa. This monastery is like a set from Star Wars, and I was anticipating a warm welcome by some Jedi Master. Instead I was greeted by its French and Armenian caretakers, who manage it as an eco-friendly monastic community open to all weary travellers. For a change I was in the company of other western travellers / pilgrims who were also a little off the beaten track. I felt as though I had come to the right place for spiritual wellbeing and could have stayed for ever, instead of only two nights. I was very much stretching my time so as to reach Aleppo via Krak des Chevaliers and Apamea. This journey took over one week and in Aleppo I was once more taken in like a true pilgrim, by the Maronite Church in the old Christian quarter. The Maronites have been described as more catholic than catholic! They are a branch of the Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See in Rome.

From Aleppo I made my way to Antakya (ancient Antioch) via the ruins of the Byzantine period St Simeon Monastery. It was here in the 5^th century that Simeon the Stylite made his Christian ascetic refuge on top of a stone column for some 37 years. Little of the column remains today, since pilgrims in the Byzantine period made off with souvenirs. The following day I was poking about in St Peter’s Cave, said to be the world’s oldest church. I was now in

Turkey

, with some serious travelling ahead of me. I cycled some 300km on to Adana – famous for its Islamic orthodoxy and spicy kebabs. From here I took a bus to Göreme, renowned for its ancient rock-hewn churches. A further 375km took me to the capital Ankara. En route I slept one night in a road house mosque!

Due to the huge distances and my dwindling budget, there was that ever-pressing time factor to push on without delay. Some 2803km in cycling distance remained before I would reach my goal of Cape Finisterre. Entering Greece, by way of bus from Ankara, I made a short four nights stopover in Istanbul to experience the true majesty of Hagia Sophia.

I had the unexpected good luck of being admitted to Mt Athos. This was very much a pilgrimage, since I made my way on foot. It was a truly wonderful experience to be out in nature, wandering between monasteries in the footsteps of Chatwin and Dalrymple. My first night was spent at the Dionysiou Monastery – the fifth most important of Mt Athos and dedicated to St John the Baptist. Its most remarkable feature is a fresco of the Apocalypse.

After Mt Athos I crossed the north of Greece through Thessaly and

Epirus

, via Mt Olympus and Meteora, with its mountain-top monasteries. The Greek Orthodox nuns at St Barbara’s Monastery were happy to leave an impression in my credential with a sticker of
their patron saint. Once beyond Meteora I experienced the last gasps of winter and had to make use of the newly-constructed Egnatia Odos, more commonly the E90 motorway. I avoided high mountain passes and snow by traversing some of its 99km of tunnels. However, after about 30km, a loud announcement over the security intercom – and eventually the police – informed me ever so politely that I wasn’t supposed to be bicycling on the motorway. Once more I was on the quiet back roads, but in the icy rain, eventually sheltering in the porch of a church outside Ioannina.

Once in

Italy

it was my intention of to make my way along the Via Appia and the Via Francigena. In the end I didn’t travel the latter, but made my own way from Bari to St Giovanni Rotondo – a pilgrimage site for devotees of Saint Padre Pio and those interested in the contemporary architect Renzo Piano. I then went across the peninsula to Rome via San Marco La Catola, Isernia and Fossanova. At all these places I was taken in by the kindly Capuchin and Cistercian monks. By the time I hit Rome, my modified credential del peregrine had been filled with some 43 stamps or seals.

I had a rather amusing, but frustrating, experience in the Vatican City Pilgrims’ Office. Here I expected to be able to pick up a new pilgrim’s passport for the road ahead. The chief staff member, after my inquiry into this matter, informed me that they hadn’t any such pilgrim passports, nor a stamp for mine. He appeared a complete buffoon when I noticed behind him a huge wall banner displaying Rome and Santiago de Compostela. However he was having none of this, and eventually was almost brought to tears screaming “I know nothing!”

From Rome the Via Francigena, this pilgrims road, is primarily for walking only. Instead I had a nightmare experience getting onto the train at Termini bound for Le Puy-en-Velay, by way of seven changes. The day before I had been reassured that bicycles could be taken on the train, and I was booked on the 10:55PM. But I wasn’t allowed to depart, and soon the bicycle and myself were removed by the railway police. Things were going badly until a kindly fluent English-speaking official got me onto the next train bound for Turin.

Some 12 hours later I was in Le Puy-en-Velay, and after my experience I was more than ready to cycling the remaining 1700km to Cape Finisterre. I had always wanted to visit Le Puy, and here I was at last, walking up the steps to the impressive Romanesque church of Saint Michel dʹAiguilhe, high on a volcanic plug. On my last evening I attended a special pilgrims’ mass at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy. At last after 239 days of peregrination, I was in the company of other Santiago pilgrims.

On Sunday 17^th May 2009, with a ready supply of Créanciale du pèlerin de Saint-Jacques de-Compostelle in my handlebar bag, I began the final long haul to the apostolic city and the ends-of-the-earth beyond it. A hot European summer was well under way, so cold showers and humble bedding were a welcome sign of relief each day as I approached journey’s end. For three days I rode with a German cyclist, through the Lot Valley, stopping at Estaing and Conques. There I experienced an illuminating evening inside the splendid Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy, with its alabaster windows, while later there was an organ recital concluding with The House of the Rising Sun!

Fellow pilgrims met in the gîte dʹétape along the Via Podensis provided good company. One evening in the French town of Arthez-de-Béarn I was treated to dinner by a Dutch pilot, while on the next day in Maslacq I had a home-cooked dinner with a small group of ladies from the Dordogne. We all shared a common interest and affinity in being pilgrims – looking out for each other in whatever way we could.

I reached Roncesvalles on 2^nd June and was at last in Spain, having crossed the Ibañeta Pass with little effort. I had actually spent a night here in the winter of 2004, when first walking the Camino, and so had fond memories of a cosy dormitory set aside for the twelve or so pilgrims. However times had changed on, and now during the summer peak season they had over 350 beds filled this evening. Cyclists we found were at the bottom of the pecking order, since forty of us were crammed into an airless dorm for the night! I was to experience much discrimination along the Camino de Santiago for being a cyclist: travelling 8000 kilometres was not good enough for several of the albergue hospitaleros. I took a side trip to Lugo, and was shocked that on my arrival at 11AM I would have to wait until 7PM before being admitted. My valuable bicycle would have to be left in the street for the night. But as I was the only cyclist, the management relented and allowed me to bring it in to the spacious hostel. That said, I have come to accept that walking the Camino is indeed a better option, for one gains the genuine pilgrim’s experience.

I reached Santiago de Compostela, and importantly the Pilgrims’ Office, to receive my compostellae on Sunday 21^st June. The office staff were quite impressed to see my credential, which had now grown to the considerable length of an arm span. On the following morning I commenced the final days of my ride, to Cape Finisterre. But first of all I had an interview with the Pilgrims’ Office concerning my Cape to Cape Tour*. Several days later, on my return to Santiago, La Voz de Galicia (the regional newspaper), conducted an interview adding to my modest fame. The woman at the news stand was ecstatic when she saw that it was me, and a hardened-looking café proprietor gave me a powerful hug and coffee on the house after discovering my means of reaching his home town.

It was on Wednesday 24^th June 2009, by way of Muxia, that I finally reached my destination of Cape Finisterre. The total cycling distance from

Singapore

clocked on my bike odometer was 8961km. What only lay ahead of me now were the blue-green waters of the Atlantic Ocean. I had indeed reached the ends of the earth! There was no fancy reception, and all I could do was thank St James for the safe journey. That evening, at the Albergue de Paz, the friendly hospitalero gave a finishing touch to my credential del peregrine when he wrote simply, in English – “Game Over”.

Finally details of my Arm Span Pilgrim's Passport - it spanning the distance of 9000KM bicycled from Singapore to Cape Finisterre.

From the comfort of your own couch: A Long-Haul Pilgrimage Photo Journal

Camino Australia: My Tasmanian Pilgrimage

2011-05-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

During the planning stages for my Cape to Cape Tour (South East Cape, Tasmania - Cape Finisterre, Spain) it had been in my intentions to begin the journey from the "polar opposite" land point to Cape Finisterre. South East Cape / South Cape Bay located in Tasmania's World Heritage South West National Park are but a couple of hours walking distance from Cockle Creek - the most southernly road destination in Australia. As I had already bicycled in 2002 from Melbourne to Darwin and was well into the advanced planning stages for my Cape to Cape Bicycle Tour I thus decided in 2008 to leave the "starting point" to last! Sometimes extended journeys cannot be done physically in a single linear fashion. However as much as possible I kept to my objectives for making the Cape to Cape realizable and therefore in 2010 I eventually completed the journey with my Tasmanian Pilgrimage. Instead of using the bicycle I decided that I would go on foot.

On Thursday 18th March 2010 in sturdy hiking boots and rucksack, with my camino cockle shell attached, I stepped out from my front door in Melbourne determined to complete my Cape to Cape. Close to my home there is a small plaque in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy commemorating the birth place in 1842 of St Mary of the Cross (Mary Mackillop). Since I was on a certain pilgrimage I decided to go via this and contemplate the journey ahead before boarding an overnight ferry crossing to Devonport, Tasmania. From there a long rambling pilgrimage of 367km was ahead of me until I would reach South Cape Bay. During those several weeks of walking across the island state from north to south I would encounter hospitality and many people interested in my ambition. On the ferry I met an elderly man and his son who grew up at Cockle Creek - this must have been a good omen for me since it was my anticipated destination!

In the months before my departure I had written to a number of Catholic parishes informing them of my planned Tasmanian pilgrimage. I had had the idea for a Camino Australia back in 2003, when I was preparing to eventually take the Camino de Santiago. My inspiration had run ahead of me as usual before I had even got there. With topographical maps I had often planned a probable route for such a road running from Devonport to South East Cape, Tasmania. However this was a pure pipe dream and surely nobody would take me seriously, so I put it aside. Then eventually during my 2004 winter walk on the camino I gave it added thought. It was not until my return to the camino in 2009 when I met another pilgrim who had had also such an absurd idea to conceptualize a camino in his home country South Africa. Therefore Australia needed one aswell, since the historical Santiago pilgrim had to commence and return their peregrinations from their own home. Like the the modern day shell emblem for Camino de Santiago there was now a web of roads, indeed expanding and radiating over the entire planet. Coincidentally, and not to my knowledge, at the same time the Way of the Cross Tasmanian Pilgrimage was being envisaged by the Catholic archdiocese in Hobart. Hearing of this in only the days before commencing I was able to factor in a number of their 12 Way of the Cross stations. While culturally a Catholic, I am to be quite honest lapsed, however in true respect for this pilgrimage I was able to factor in a number of their stations for quiet contemplation.

I had to make my way by minor roads, as a network of walking paths between the towns is non-existent. It was in my interest to pass through heritage towns of the Tasmanian Midlands and locations where basic services were available. I carried with me cooking and sleeping gear and at a number of locations made bivouac. However I had also made some arrangements for accommodation in towns. Like a true pilgrim I was also taken in by churches and individuals offering their kind hospitality.

Tasmania when concerning the early treatment of its Aboriginal population and as a penal colony has indeed a tragic history. There is nonetheless a rich historical legacy which has been lovingly preserved by more recent generations who are proud of their built heritage. This is expressed ironically in the convict labor which was put to work into the construction of numerous public works projects such as bridges and civic buildings from the 1820s - 50s. One of the most impressive churches I visited was at the hamlet of Colebrook (formerly Jerusalem). St Patricks Catholic Church was designed in England by none other than Augustus Welby Pugin in 1843, however wasn't built until 1855-57 due to the lack of funds by the Tasmanian Catholic community. This church has been described as being in proportion to that of a miniture cathedral.

Top Image: Australia's first Saint Mary (Mackillop) of the Cross has been beautifully illustrated in a contemporary stained glass window at Westbury in the Holy Trinity Church.

Center Image: Detail, St Paul's Catholic Church. Oatland.

Lower Image: St Patrick's at Colebrook. Interior view of church nave looking towards the alter, behind rood screen - at typical Pugin feature.

As my Tasmanian Pilgrimage was also a demonstrative walk for the proposed Camino Australia I wished to receive seals in a spare credential del peregrino, obtained while in Spain in 2009. Many of these seals had to be improvised, while it was possible at a number of churches visited along the way to have my pilgrims passport stamped. A French cabinet maker, who took me in by way of Sheffield, had the idea that he should use his wood branding iron to stamp. Ink was however used in the process rather than heat. At two of the three Pugin churches visited, after no stamp could be found by the village priest, I had the idea that the church keys themselves should be made available as a template traced around by pen and as good proof that the pilgrim was indeed present. Finally near to journeys end at the South West National Park one of the rangers miraculously appeared on their day off and was all to pleased to attend my needs with a stamp and comment - Cockle Creek Tasmania "End of the Road South".

The view from near remarkable Lion Rock at South Cape Bay, Tasmania, with the Cape in the distance, it having a striking resemblance to Cape Finisterre on the virtual opposite side of the planet.

A Camino de Santiago credential passport was used for my Cape to Cape Tasmanian Pilgrimage, as a memento to the journey taken as was with the Singapore to Cape Finisterre leg.

Camino Australia:

2011-04-11T20:51:00.001-07:00

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Camino Australia: Roads Pointing to Santiago de Compostela

2011-04-10T18:27:00.001-07:00

The proposed Camino Australia would be a network of walking, cycling and horse trail riding routes historically linked to St Mary of the Cross - Mary MacKillop - Australia's first saint and culturally linked to the European pilgrim’s Way of St James. The Way of St James / Les Chemins de Saint Jacques / Jakobsweg is more widely known these days for its popular Spanish section, the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It is historically associated with St James the Apostle (St James the Great).

The ancient network of roads crossing Europe, eventually reaching the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, has great religious importance. But the renewed interest of recent decades has arisen from a number of diverse sources. A Christian and Catholic base now supports a broader search for spiritual well being, together with a renewed cultural interest in the built heritage. Then leisure activities are arguably the most popular reason why people are making the pilgrimage to Santiago.

From its initial growth in the Middle Ages, the Road of St James as a pilgrims’ route rivalled the other two key pilgrimages to, Rome and Jerusalem. Travel to these two significant Christian centres had become a risky venture. However with the expulsion of the Moors from the north of the Iberian Peninsula, along with the alleged discovery of the remains of the Apostle St James, a new pilgrims road was soon established. Subsidiary pilgrims’ roads began branching out all across the European continent. Roads associated with St James reached as far afield as Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

In recent decades there has been a renewal of the ancient pilgrims’ roads. Some routes have been re-established, while new pathways have been created where the old roads had been obliterated due to modern development. There has evolved a rich diversification, adding to the traditional Christian pilgrimage. For not only religious reasons, churches and monasteries have been restored or opened up for heritage and cultural interest. A modern system of way markers and other facilities such as pedestrian overpasses, drinking fountains and community or municipally run hostels (albergue / refugio) have been established for the benefit of the pilgrim’s comfort.

The renewed interest in making a pilgrimage in the modern world has advanced a diversified and “slow movement” style of travel and tourism, available to all ages and income levels. Indeed, statistically only about 10% of modern day pilgrims going to Santiago are “taking the camino” for religious reasons, but the activity has created a renewed interest in spirituality and well being. The pilgrimage to Santiago has often rekindled inner feelings once associated with the pious or lay believer.

Traditionally, it was expected that pilgrims, having reached the Apostolic city would from sheer necessity have to walk or ride their horse home. Today things have changed dramatically. All who have completed their pilgrimage can either fly or travel by train or bus on the return journey. In fact the modern day camino is actually laid out as a one way street. Very few of the tens of thousands who make the journey walk, cycle or travel by horse or mule back home.

From the official starting point of the French Road / Camino de Santiago at St Jean-Pied-de-Port in the SW of France, in the year 2008 the numbers of departing pilgrims who attempted the 800KM+ journey were as follows:

01 France: 7837

02 Germany: 6111

03 Spain: 3646

04 Italy: 3477

05 Canada: 1373

06 Basque Country: 1057

07 Great Britain: 884

08 Switzerland: 863

09 Belgium: 811

10 USA: 770

11 South Korea: 747

12 Ireland: 699

13 Australia 670*

Austria

: 639

15 Brazil: 449

16 Sweden: 445

17 Hungary: 441

18 Poland: 393

19 Denmark: 338

20 Norway: 259

21 Japan: 214

22 Portugal: 190

23 Slovenia: 164

24 South Africa: 125

Czech Republic

: 122

Australia* rated thirteenth in the top 25 countries of origin, and is growing, as recorded by the Pilgrim Office at St Jean-Pied-de-Port. In 2010 the numbers of Australians who completed their pilgrimage and received compostelas in Santiago numbered 903 and New Zealanders 172, figures explain more people make a shorter pilgrimage. The interest is clear as proving. Given the fact that the pilgrims’ way associated with St James was an ever – expanding network of roads in the Middle Ages, the same applies concerning the renewed interest and associated pilgrimage routes today! It isn’t unreasonable to consider a further expansion of these road networks to include a given number of countries well represented by increased or sustained pilgrim numbers. This has been the case in Europe, and it could be so with a Camino Australia. Similar moves are under way for a Camino South Africa.

In this country a pilgrimage road has already been established. In 2009 the preliminary 125KM Camino Salvado, which informally runs from Subiaco in Perth, WA to New Norcia, Australia’s only monastic town, was demonstrated by St Josephs Catholic Parish as a religious and historically binding pilgrimage route which can point to Santiago.

In a secular society the existence of a pilgrims’ way / road network in Australia would require added associations to the more traditional Camino de Santiago. However the basis for a Camino Australia should begin with St Mary of the Cross (Mary MacKillop) and the churches, as with the pilgrimage to Santiago. The routes made should connect places of historical importance, within the short but dense history of European settlement. A crucial aspect of the Camino Australia would also be the acknowledgement of the Aboriginal custodians of the land, as well as the built European heritage.

Already there exist a number of dedicated walking and cycling trails – with way markers and camping facilities, such as the Heysen and Mawson Trails of South Australia. A proportion of their routes could be a part of the Camino Australia. Visiting historic sites associated with Mary MacKillop, such as Penola, and the Austrian Jesuit settlement of Sevenhill, would be important. The numerous and reasonably close together heritage towns of the Tasmanian Midlands, including the Way of the Cross – Tasmanian Pilgrimage, and Goldfields of Central Victoria would also make most desirable and convenient locations for a dedicated pilgrimage road to pass through. All these places have a rich history, communities which were strongly linked to the church and today boast many heritage listed churches and other historical properties open to the public. Pilgrim tourists would be of economic benefit to remote communities. For much of the Camino Australia, the longer routes would be best suited to be taken by bicycle, or in stages over a longer period. This is commonly done in France and Spain.

The Camino Australia would offer a recreational activity which has a low consumption footprint. The term "Slow Tourism" could be adopted in our secular world and its associated developments have been praised as a way of strengthening economies. Mass Tourism often has a negative impact on the natural environment, as well as the country’s cultural and built heritage. Therefore Camino Australia should best demonstrate sustainable tourism and respect for cultural heritage.

The Camino de Santiago has continued to the present day, drawing on the cultural heritage of the Christian pilgrimage and a renewed interest in spiritual well being. Likewise the associated Camino Australia could also demonstrate a wholesome approach of treading lightly on the planet, as a means towards reaching personal well being and spiritual enlightenment.

The Australian Friends of the Camino

Some examples of probable routes of the Camino Australia:

The Way of St Mary of the Cross: Victoria

Walking / Cycling / Equestrian 750KM

Melbourne – Penola (via Fitzroy, Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat, Camperdown, Port Campbell, Koroit, Portland, Nelson, Pt MacDonnell and Mt Gambier)

The Way of St Mary of the Cross: South Australia

Walking / Cycling / Equestrian 900KM

Port Pirie / Quorn – Penola (via Heysen and Mawson Trails, Jamestown, Burra, Clare, Sevenhill, Barossa Valley, Gawler, Adelaide, Morphett Vale, Coorong, Robe and Millicent)

The Way of St Mary of the Cross: NSW / ACT / Victoria / SA

Walking / Cycling / Motor Vehicle 2000KM

North Sydney – Penola (via Blue Mountains, Goulburn, Canberra, Monaro, Snowy Mountains, Albury / Wodonga, Beechworth, Wangaratta, Bendigo, Maldon, Castlemaine, Daylesford, Ballarat / Ararat, Hamilton, Penola )

The Way of the Cross (c2008): Tasmania

Walking / Cycling 600KM

Smithton (NW Coast) – Kingston (Hobart), via Somerset, Forth, Deloraine, Longford, Beaconsfield, Launceston, Tasmanian Midlands and Derwent Valley

Camino Salvado (c2009): Western Australia

Walking / Cycling 160KM

Subiaco – New Norcia (via Swan River Valley)

The Camino Salvado follows the Pilgrims Trail from Salvado Road in Subiaco, where St Josephs Church is found, to New Norcia. The trail is approximately 160kms long and travels through the City’s financial district, past places of historical interest and out of the metropolitan area via the beautiful Swan river foreshore. It travels via Bells rapids, where the white water Avon descent passes and into Walyunga National Park, a place of spiritual significance for the Noongyar People. Then its the Chittering Valley to Julimar Forest: the trail has been refined to take walkers away from the highway as much as possible, so the trail then follows tracks and trails through bush and farmland until we meet the Old Plain Rd that takes us to New Norcia.

http://caminosalvado.com/