Take the 10-day pilgrimage across the Australian Camino, which perfectly balances scenery, soul-searching, and spiritual growth. Also known as the Mary MacKillop Way, this journey offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature and find inner peace while exploring the beautiful South Australian landscape.
Today’s, pilgrim travellers, taking the direct road to Penola, along the modern highway, would find it a great challenge unless going all the way by car. However, a calmer and more relaxed route has been chosen for those who wish to make a more authentic pilgrimage on foot. For the first few days, the Camino follows the Great South West Walk (GSWW), which is followed by numerous farm tracks, goat trails, minor roads, and even abandoned railway lines.
The Great South West Walk, a 250-kilometre track established in 1981, is located in Victoria, Australia. It passes through several national parks, including Lower Glenelg, Cobboboonee, Discovery Bay Coastal, Mount Richmond, and Cape Nelson State Park.
Walking a camino is a centuries-old tradition. It offers a spiritual journey inspired by lives of fulfilment and service. The natural beauty and camaraderie of fellow travellers enhance the experience.
Starting in Portland, where Mary MacKillop gained teaching experience, the walk ends in Penola, her foundational site. Pilgrims can visit significant sites like the stable park and schoolhouse, and St Joseph’s church for contemplation and prayer. Mary’s life exemplifies faith, forgiveness, and kindness, strengthening and encouraging many.
She founded the Sisters of St Joseph in Penola with Father Julian Tenison Woods. Reflecting on their beginnings, she wrote in 1891, “Little did either of us then dream of what was to spring from so small a beginning.
‘Oh, how I wish we would only remember that we are but travellers here.’ – Mary MacKillop17 November 1866
