NPAQ Pilgrimage History

Bushwalking Queensland is currently undertaking a project to collate historical material from Pilgrimages.

The material can include Pilgrimage flyers, walks programs, newsletter reports, and photos from the pre-digital era.

In September 1965 – the first Bushwalking Queensland Pilgrimage to Mt Barney was carried out – formerly associated with the use of the word ‘Pilgrimage’.

In September 1970 – the Mt Barney Pilgrimage was well-attended with 40 of Bushwalking Queensland members climbing either Leaning, Logans, South East, South or Savages.

There were few members from other clubs in Federation and the trip had been abandoned by Federation in favour of a Federation Pilgrimage, which was held at Wyberba the same year.

(Acknowledgement: Ron Farmer, paper on 1960s Pilgrimage events, 2018)

In September 1971 YHA Bushwalkers QLD hosted the Pilgrimage at Wyberba:

The walks program reported “good attendance with trips going to Pyramids, River Cave, The Sphinx, and Aztec temple”.

From 1971, bushwalking clubs have taken it in turn to host each year’s annual gathering, on behalf of Queensland Federation of Bushwalking Clubs (now Bushwalking Qld).  A list of pilgrimage events can be found at https://www.bushwalkingqueensland.org.au/pil_history.php

September 1975 hosted by NPAQ

The campsite location was Coulson’s creek and on the Saturday, participants went for a bushwalk through Mt Greville.

On Saturday night, everyone enjoyed campfire songs and stories. Then on Sunday, the group climbed Bluff Rock and the Needles.

The earliest photo in the archive, from a Pilgrimage event, is of a YHA Bushie winning the ‘Billy Boiling’ at the 1976 Teviot Gap event.

For more information please contact:

Nancy Hodge, 

E: nbhodge@bigpond.com

Ph: 07 3349 1788