The Aussie Camino is a picturesque pilgrimage inspired by Australia’s only saint, Mary MacKillop

For 1,000 years, millions of people have walked in each other’s footsteps on a revered pilgrimage trail in north-western Spain. 

The Camino de Santiago, or “The Way of St James”, is a network of routes across Western Europe leading to the resting place of the apostle Saint James the Great.

More than just a hike, people often embark on the 809-kilometre walk that leads them away from their daily routines and usual comforts for a variety of deeply personal reasons.

For Melbourne’s Luke Mills, it was a life-changing family tragedy that deepened his interest in “the Camino”, as the pilgrimage is colloquially known.

Mr Mills was grappling with his wife Gabriella’s unexpected death in 2008 and the reality of raising their three young…