A Camino? A Pilgrimage? or A Walkabout?
In many cultures around the world there are walks undertaken for a range of reasons,often associated with a religious rite or some form of spirituality eg Pilgrimages to Mecca; Japanese pilgrimages to the mountains; Christian pilgrimages to Rome or the Way of St James in Spain.
Wikipedia defines a pilgrimage as “…. A journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about the self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life.” One of the most well known pilgrimage is the Camino de Santiago, commonly called "the Camino" or "the Way". The word Camino translates from Spanish as "walk" and is derived from the verb "caminar - to walk."
The Camino de Santiago...........is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela............ Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. It is also popular with hiking and cycling enthusiasts and organized tour groups. Wikipedia. In its original form a pilgrim would leave from their front door with little other than a stick and the clothes they were in. Along the way they were open to the elements and relied on being fed and housed by villagers without any payment as they passed on their way. From these early times as a religious pilgrimage where no facilities were provided, A "Camino" is now a network of paths with varying levels of infrastructure to provide for a broad range of pilgrim requirements – including basic to luxury accommodation; assistance with transporting of luggage/backpacks; and fully supported tours. Pilgrims have driven these changes and as numbers have increased so has the income of many of the small quite poor villages, many of whom have been encouraged to improve pilgrim infrastructure by the Councils and other Friends groups along the way.
In Australian indigenous culture there is a rite of passage known as "A Walkabout" that has some similarities to a "camino" other than it was a journey undertaken only by males during adolescence. Typically aged between 10 to 16 they would live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months to make the spiritual and traditional transition into manhood. Wikipedia 2020 He is expected to reflect on his relationship with his ancestral land, and with nature and to connect with those who have been through the same rite of passage before him. He is supposed to think of his ancestors as he undertakes the Walkabout and to honor them. Sarah P Young https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/walkabout-coming-age-0012191. Besides the obvious goal of the walkabout – to walk and survive, the initiate also has to devote his time to thinking and discovering himself. The walkabout is also an excellent time for self-evaluation and reflection. One can say that the walkabout is both a journey across the land and a journey of the mind.
........Some of the trips we do in our lives are purely for pleasure, some are meant to make us stronger, sometimes we travel to explore and learn, and in all of these undertakings we grow and become wiser. There is a lot we can learn from the land that surrounds us and the best way to acquire that knowledge is by travelling and experiencing......
Extract from "Walkabout - The aboriginal Australian hike that serves as a rite of passage" By Boban
Publish Date: Apr 6, 2017
On a lighter note, The Urban Dictionary has this definition of a Walkabout: "A spontaneous journey through the wilderness of one's choosing in an effort to satisfy one's itchy feet, a need to be elsewhere, the craving for the open road, that space over the horizon...yes... something like that... you can't quite touch it so you have to go find it because you just know it's there...Or maybe it just feels good to go walking around ." https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=walkabout
Cooee
Cooee has been chosen as the name for this "pilgrimage; walkabout; camino" as it is a much used word in the Australian bush, often as a call out signal over distances as an indicator of location. It originated from the Dharug language of the original inhabitants of the Sydney area meaning "come here".
Wikipedia defines a pilgrimage as “…. A journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about the self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life.” One of the most well known pilgrimage is the Camino de Santiago, commonly called "the Camino" or "the Way". The word Camino translates from Spanish as "walk" and is derived from the verb "caminar - to walk."
The Camino de Santiago...........is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela............ Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. It is also popular with hiking and cycling enthusiasts and organized tour groups. Wikipedia. In its original form a pilgrim would leave from their front door with little other than a stick and the clothes they were in. Along the way they were open to the elements and relied on being fed and housed by villagers without any payment as they passed on their way. From these early times as a religious pilgrimage where no facilities were provided, A "Camino" is now a network of paths with varying levels of infrastructure to provide for a broad range of pilgrim requirements – including basic to luxury accommodation; assistance with transporting of luggage/backpacks; and fully supported tours. Pilgrims have driven these changes and as numbers have increased so has the income of many of the small quite poor villages, many of whom have been encouraged to improve pilgrim infrastructure by the Councils and other Friends groups along the way.
In Australian indigenous culture there is a rite of passage known as "A Walkabout" that has some similarities to a "camino" other than it was a journey undertaken only by males during adolescence. Typically aged between 10 to 16 they would live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months to make the spiritual and traditional transition into manhood. Wikipedia 2020 He is expected to reflect on his relationship with his ancestral land, and with nature and to connect with those who have been through the same rite of passage before him. He is supposed to think of his ancestors as he undertakes the Walkabout and to honor them. Sarah P Young https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/walkabout-coming-age-0012191. Besides the obvious goal of the walkabout – to walk and survive, the initiate also has to devote his time to thinking and discovering himself. The walkabout is also an excellent time for self-evaluation and reflection. One can say that the walkabout is both a journey across the land and a journey of the mind.
........Some of the trips we do in our lives are purely for pleasure, some are meant to make us stronger, sometimes we travel to explore and learn, and in all of these undertakings we grow and become wiser. There is a lot we can learn from the land that surrounds us and the best way to acquire that knowledge is by travelling and experiencing......
Extract from "Walkabout - The aboriginal Australian hike that serves as a rite of passage" By Boban
Publish Date: Apr 6, 2017
On a lighter note, The Urban Dictionary has this definition of a Walkabout: "A spontaneous journey through the wilderness of one's choosing in an effort to satisfy one's itchy feet, a need to be elsewhere, the craving for the open road, that space over the horizon...yes... something like that... you can't quite touch it so you have to go find it because you just know it's there...Or maybe it just feels good to go walking around ." https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=walkabout
Cooee
Cooee has been chosen as the name for this "pilgrimage; walkabout; camino" as it is a much used word in the Australian bush, often as a call out signal over distances as an indicator of location. It originated from the Dharug language of the original inhabitants of the Sydney area meaning "come here".
What is it about
The notes on each section include things to watch out for and alternative options for detours or ways to shorten the longer days.
Cooeevic Passport
Similar to the Pilgrims Passport used for the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the passport for this journey is in printable format with space to obtain a stamp (from a post office) or initial and add the daily distance travelled. Click here to print the PDF passport.
- About 450km of self guided walking or cycling.
- It includes several existing walking and cycling trails, suburban streets, quiet country roads and some forest tracks.
- The route is chosen, based in the first instance, on accommodation availability, with a distance of 20-30km apart. Each of the sections can be completed in under a week on foot if you don't want to tackle the whole thing at once.
- Bookable accommodation.
- Explore and learn about indigenous culture along the way.
- Before commencing the walk it is essential to read the safety information provided here.
The notes on each section include things to watch out for and alternative options for detours or ways to shorten the longer days.
Cooeevic Passport
Similar to the Pilgrims Passport used for the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the passport for this journey is in printable format with space to obtain a stamp (from a post office) or initial and add the daily distance travelled. Click here to print the PDF passport.
Intention of the website
This website is a resource for walkers and cyclists.
The intention of this website is to provide information about the infrastructure and suggested route of a "camino" style of walk with some similarities to the pilgrimage walks in other countries around the world.
To follow this definition of a "pilgrimage" explained above, the theme of the walk is the option to learn about, and explore indigenous culture of the region. Links to indigenous tourism on the website are those available through internet searches and are relevant as of June 2020. .
The route is based primarily on available accommodation at the end of a 20-30km distance. The selection of accommodation options are an indication only of the variety available and do not carry any specific recommendations. There are many other options available for camping, but the walk and distances are designed for it not to be necessary to carry tents and full camping gear. Campsites other than Caravan Parks providing cabins have not been included.
If you don't want to tackle the whole walk in one go, each of the sections has been selected to allow for completion in under a week on foot and a couple of days on a bicycle. A bus or train can take you to the starting point for each section. Click here to access the PTV Journey Planner for bus and train information. (Transport of fully assembled bikes is OK on trains, but only foldable bikes are permitted on Victorian buses.)
All the route maps and directional information have been obtained using Google Maps and are intended as a guide only to walking the region. There may be variations and other options along the way which you may choose to select. This website is to show you that it is possible and needs to be viewed as a resource and not a definitive route.
This website is a resource for walkers and cyclists.
The intention of this website is to provide information about the infrastructure and suggested route of a "camino" style of walk with some similarities to the pilgrimage walks in other countries around the world.
To follow this definition of a "pilgrimage" explained above, the theme of the walk is the option to learn about, and explore indigenous culture of the region. Links to indigenous tourism on the website are those available through internet searches and are relevant as of June 2020. .
The route is based primarily on available accommodation at the end of a 20-30km distance. The selection of accommodation options are an indication only of the variety available and do not carry any specific recommendations. There are many other options available for camping, but the walk and distances are designed for it not to be necessary to carry tents and full camping gear. Campsites other than Caravan Parks providing cabins have not been included.
If you don't want to tackle the whole walk in one go, each of the sections has been selected to allow for completion in under a week on foot and a couple of days on a bicycle. A bus or train can take you to the starting point for each section. Click here to access the PTV Journey Planner for bus and train information. (Transport of fully assembled bikes is OK on trains, but only foldable bikes are permitted on Victorian buses.)
All the route maps and directional information have been obtained using Google Maps and are intended as a guide only to walking the region. There may be variations and other options along the way which you may choose to select. This website is to show you that it is possible and needs to be viewed as a resource and not a definitive route.
Cycling
The route has been designed in the first instance for walking and all PDF Google Maps directional information has been based on this. However, it is intended that the route can be cycled. Each section of the route has information on variations, or recommendations, for cyclists.
Suitable bikes would be hybrid, mountain, or touring bikes (electric or otherwise). If you are riding road or racing bikes it is suggested you search your own route as there are a number of stretches that include rocky, sandy and rough surfaces.
The route has been designed in the first instance for walking and all PDF Google Maps directional information has been based on this. However, it is intended that the route can be cycled. Each section of the route has information on variations, or recommendations, for cyclists.
Suitable bikes would be hybrid, mountain, or touring bikes (electric or otherwise). If you are riding road or racing bikes it is suggested you search your own route as there are a number of stretches that include rocky, sandy and rough surfaces.
Although the developer of this resource has no indigenous heritage this material has been compiled with the intention of recognising the lands of the Traditional Owners from the Boonwurrung, Wathaurung, Gadabanud and Gulidjan peoples. It is intended to respectfully acknowledge the Aboriginal land that is an integral part of the walkers/cyclists journey.
All references have been established using material readily available through the internet and texts but should any of the material or terminology be considered incorrect, inadequate or disrespectful, we would appreciate feedback so changes can be made as appropriate: additions, deletions, corrections will be welcomed.
All references have been established using material readily available through the internet and texts but should any of the material or terminology be considered incorrect, inadequate or disrespectful, we would appreciate feedback so changes can be made as appropriate: additions, deletions, corrections will be welcomed.