Best pilgrimage destinations in Oceania
Best pilgrimage destinations in Oceania
Sacred indigenous historic sites and ancient mountain pilgrimage paths in Oceania
Oceania does not have many classic pilgrimage routes, but people still travel long distances here to walk, remember and reflect at places that mean a great deal to them.
Uluru in central Australia is sacred to the Anangu people, and walking the 10 kilometer path around its base, with stops at waterholes and rock art, is a quiet and respectful way to experience it. For many Australians, the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea is a kind of pilgrimage, a tough week in the jungle on the path where soldiers fought in World War II. In Sydney, Mary MacKillop Place honors Australia's first saint, and Catholic visitors come to see her tomb. In New Zealand, Cape Reinga is where Māori believe the spirits of the dead leave the land, and the view from the lighthouse is very moving.
The Kokoda Track needs good fitness and can only be walked with a licensed trek operator.
Lists by region
National Park in Australia
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Sacred Red Rock and Majestic Domes
In Australia's Northern Territory, Uluru rises 348 metres and is sacred to the Anangu. Tjukurpa is the Ancestral Law of the Anangu. Climbing Uluru has been banned since 2019. Visitors can walk the 9.4 kilometre base instead. Kata Tjuta is a group of 36 rock domes.
Country
Papua New Guinea
Last paradise of South Pacific
In 1942 Japanese and Allied forces, mainly Australian, fought battles along the Kokoda Track. The track is 96 kilometres long and crosses the Owen Stanley Range in this country. Many Australians walk it to remember the soldiers who fought there. Walkers normally take four to twelve days.
Region in New Zealand
North Island
Geothermal Wonders and Māori Culture
Te Rerenga Wairua at Cape Reinga on this island is called the leaping-off place of spirits. In Māori belief the spirits of the dead leap off the headland here. They climb the roots of an 800 year old pōhutukawa tree to return to Hawaiki. Many peaks in Tongariro National Park are sacred to Māori.
City in Australia
Sydney
Where urban life meets stunning beaches
Spires rise 74.6 metres above St Mary's Cathedral on College Street. The present building was built from 1866 to 1928. Its heritage listing calls it the largest 19th century church building in the English Gothic style in the world. Pope Benedict XVI visited the cathedral during World Youth Day 2008 in this city.
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