Using the famed Camino de Santiago as inspiration, 24 pilgrims from across Australia have been traversing a 230-kilometre trek from Portland to Penola, taking in the rugged south-west coastline. 

Dubbed the Aussie Camino, the pilgrimage it follows is in the footsteps of Australia’s first Catholic saint Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods. They began their journey in Portland on Thursday walking along the coast to Cape Bridgewater, then along the Great South West Walk on Friday and over the weekend. They will reach Penola on Wednesday evening after walking to Port MacDonnell and Mount Gambier. 

Organiser Luke Mills said the idea for an Aussie Camino came after discussing international experiences. 

“We have borrowed from the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of Saint James,” Mr Mills said. 

“The pilgrimage finishes at the Shrine of St James, so we thought it would be great to do something in Australia that honoured our own saint.” 

The route is not the exact path followed by Mary MacKillop, who lived in Portland with her family before moving through various local communities helping low-income families and setting up a school at Penola, but it covers some of the territory and it keeps off main roads.

“She eventually wound up in Penola, which is where our Camino finishes,” Mr Mills said.

Each pilgrim has a scallop shell, the international symbol of a pilgrim, emblazoned with Ave Maria — the symbol used by the Sisters of St Joseph, which Mary MacKillop and Father Tenison Woods founded. They also have a “passport”, which is stamped at each stop. 

He said it was the third Aussie Camino and he hoped it would continue to grow.