Itinerary
Thursday evening – Ballarat Cathedral
Once you arrive at Ballarat, please promptly check-in at our desk at the Ballarat Cathedral Hall. We will provide you with your pilgrim ID and any other items you’ve purchased. We will also provide you with tags for your luggage. All pilgrims must check-in prior to walking.
Ballarat has a number of camping stores – this will be your last opportunity to buy camping gear before the pilgrimage if you forgot to pack something.
There will be a solemn requiem mass celebrated at Ballarat Cathedral at 7:00pm on Thursday evening.
Thursday evening – dinner in Ballarat
We do not provide dinner on Thursday evening. We suggest you enjoy a meal at one of the nearby fine restaurants or hotels in Ballarat’s CBD.
Don’t forget that lights out at the pilgrim accommodation (see below) is at 11:30pm. There is also an early start the next morning – so resist the temptation to stay up late catching up with old friends (and making new ones).
Thursday night – Female communal accommodation
Female pilgrims and boys under the age of 12 will be staying in the Ballarat’s St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall. You’ll need a sleeping bag and (unless you’re super-tough) a sleeping mat and pillow. Space can be limited in the hall, so pack light and avoid bulky inflatable mattresses. Temperatures can get fairly low, even in the hall – we recommend that you use a sleeping bag that is rated to at least 0 degrees (or wear more layers).
Thursday night – Male communal accommodation
Male pilgrims will be staying in the smaller hall (closest to the kitchen) at St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall. Space will be extremely limited so we ask that you are mindful when setting up your sleeping gear and keep bulky luggage to the edge of the hall. Please load your tents and other camping gear that you will not need into the truck upon check-in so that these do not need to take up space in the hall.
Friday morning – Ballarat Cathedral to Creswick
Wake-up call on Friday will be at 5:20am.
You’ll need to quickly pack-up your belonging and put them on the luggage transport trucks. Make sure your luggage is all labelled with your details, and the correctly coloured tag. There won’t be much time after mass before we depart, so make sure you’re ready to walk before you go to Mass.
Mass will commence at 6:00am. Breakfast will be served immediately after Mass outside the Cathedral. Breakfast will be cereals, fruits, and bread, washed down with tea and coffee.
Once you’ve had breakfast, gather with your bag at the front of the St Patrick’s Cathedral for the traditional blessing. The pilgrimage will depart the Cathedral immediately following the blessing.
The 2018 pilgrimage blessing will be imparted by Bishop Peter Connors, Bishop Emeritus of Ballarat.
The first leg of the pilgrimage is an easy 10km walk out of Ballarat’s CBD, through Ballarat Cemetery, and into the neighbouring state forest for morning. Morning tea will be at about 11:00am at a clearing in the state forest. Sit back and enjoy your fruit and muesli bars while listening to a stirring sermonette from one of our guest priests.
Refreshed by morning tea, you’ll then walk another 9km to Creswick for lunch at about 1:30pm. Lunch will be tasty vegetarian sandwiches freshly made by our team of volunteers.
Friday afternoon – Creswick to Smeaton
Refreshed by an hour’s break and a good feed, we will depart Creswick at about 2:30pm. We’ll walk for around 8 Km to Kingston for afternoon tea at about 4:20pm. As we approach Kingston, you will be walking along the spectacular tree-lined avenue of honour, dedicated to those who fought in World War I. As you rest your feet under the oak trees, you will also hear another fiery fervorino from another of our guest priests.
From Kingston, we walk the final leg of 7km to arrive at Smeaton at 6:30pm for dinner and a well-earned sleep. Before tucking in, you should find your luggage and set-up your tent (if you’re camping). Its much easier to do this while it is still light.
Friday night is vegetarian night on Pilgrimage. Our volunteer caterers will be serving up vegetarian curry, rice and lasagne, rounded off with mountains of salad. Don’t forget you’ll need your own crockery and cutlery for dinner.
All-night adoration will start as soon as the pilgrimage arrives at Smeaton. Don’t forget to put your name down to spend an hour or two with the Lord.
Female pilgrims and boys under the age of 12 will be sleeping in the hall at the Smeaton Bowling Club.
Male pilgrims over the age of 12 will be camping in a nearby farmer’s field. If you’re camping, make sure you’ve bought your tent or swag, and set-it up before having dinner.
Please note that there are very limited (cold) shower facilities at the Smeaton Bowling Club. You might want to bring some wet wipes to help freshen up.
The day will end with Compline at 9:00pm in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Saturday morning – Smeaton to Campbelltown
Wake-up call will be at 5:15am.
We’ll scoff a hasty breakfast of cereals, bread and fruit, and be on our way by 6:00am. Before departing, there will be benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. Our destination is 8km away – the morning tea stop half-way between Smeaton and Campbelltown at 8:45am. Revitalised by the fruit and another inspiring exhortation, we’ll set off at 9:15am to walk and sing the remaining 8km to Cambelltown.
Cambelltown is a special place for the pilgrimage. Solemn Mass will commence upon the Pilgrim’s arrival at about 11:00am. The Mass will be celebrated under a custom-made marquee in a pine grove. Following Mass, we will dine on a traditional Valencian dish – Paella (rice, chorizo, and spices) cooked by our magnificent volunteer Paelladors. Don’t eat too slowly, as we will be departing Campbelltown at 1:45pm sharp.
The afternoon commences with an 11km walk to Sandon Cemetery. We will pause at Sandon Cemetery to offer our prayers for the dead buried there, and also for Christus Rex pilgrims who have died. There will be an opportunity for a short break for afternoon tea, and then its back on the road for the final leg of the day.
The final leg is about 7km in length and takes us to the town of Newstead for dinner and a good night’s rest.
Showers for men and women are available at the pavilion at the men’s camping ground. Make sure you set-up your tent before showering and having dinner.
Dinner will be a barbeque and salads prepared by our volunteers.
Female pilgrims and boys under the age of 12 will be sleeping in the hall at the Newstead Community Centre.
Male pilgrims over the age of 12 will be camping at the nearby cricket ground.
The day will end with compline at 9:00pm
Sunday Morning
It will be another early start at 5:30am.
Quickly pack up your gear and head over for breakfast at 6:00am. Once you’ve had breakfast, you will be boarding our coaches to be transported about 30km to the other side of Maldon for the start of the next walking leg.
The Coaches will depart Newstead Community Centre at 7:15am sharp – Be there at 7:00am and make sure you’ve packed your tent and sleeping gear onto the luggage trucks.
The first leg of the Sunday is a short 6.5 km walk to Lockwood South, arriving at about 9:30am. Here you will have morning tea, accompanied by the final roadside sermonette delivered by a guest priest. Prepare yourself: the next leg is the toughest and longest leg of the pilgrimage – rest and take on as many fluids as you can.
From Lockwood South, we proceed about 11 Km to Kangaroo Flat on the outskirts of Bendigo. Once there, you can relax in the shade of some gumtrees by the lake, while you feast on a tasty sausage-on-a-roll and salads prepared by our volunteers.
From Kangaroo Flat, we will walk the last and shortest leg of the pilgrimage – 4km to Bendigo’s Sacred Heart Cathedral.
We will arrive at Sacred Heart Cathedral at about 3:00pm. There will be a blessing of the pilgrims and the public consecration to Christ the King on the steps of the Cathedral.
Mass will commence upon the pilgrimage entering the Cathedral. The final mass is the Mass of the Feast of Christ the King.
Mass will conclude at about 5:00pm. We will gather at the front of the Cathedral to collect luggage and join in the official pilgrimage group photo.
We hope that you will join us for an informal dinner at the Queens Arms Hotel, 25 Russell Street Quarry Hill Bendigo.
Monday morning
There will be Mass at 9:00am at the Cathedral celebrated by Fr Michael Rowe.
After Mass, there will be a final gathering for breakfast at Queens Arms Hotel, 25 Russell Street Quarry Hill Bendigo.