This year marks 75 years since the Catholic Walking Club of Victoria first brought together people who share a love of walking, faith and the Australian bush. On Sunday 24 May, around 60 members and guests gathered at St Thomas the Apostle school hall in Blackburn to celebrate the club’s 75th anniversary, including Corrie van den Bosch MSS and Bernadette Madden MSS, both long-time members of the club.
For Corrie, who joined the club in the late 1990s, bushwalking has long been far more than simply exercise or recreation. ‘I fell in love with the bush ever since I came to Australia,’ she reflected. ‘I’ve been bushwalking ever since the early 1970s, and I’m still bushwalking now. Thank God I’m still fit enough to do it.’ Corrie said her relationship with walking and nature had deepened over the years. ‘When I was young, I was always looking at the goal. But in more recent years it’s become immersion in the actual experience of walking, of the environment, of the company. That gives a whole other dimension to the experience.’
She shared that time spent in nature is deeply spiritual for her. ‘I think God is present within every part of creation, and when we take it in, we touch that sacredness, we touch the divine there.
‘The miracle of life and beauty, the warmth and coolness of the winds—all those different conditions call something of your own spirit out,’ she said. ‘That’s what keeps drawing me back.’
Bernadette Madden MSS, who joined the Catholic Walking Club of Victoria in 2008 after moving to Melbourne, also reflected on the deep sense of friendship and belonging she has experienced through the club. Her first encounter with members of the club occurred in the late 1990s while camping at Wilsons Promontory. ‘One day I met a group of walkers on the track. They were carrying all kinds of things including card tables, chairs, full packs, and they stopped for a chat,’ she recalled. ‘I have learned since that stopping for a chat is a key characteristic of some members!’
For Bernadette, that first encounter captured the welcoming spirit of the club that she has continued to experience over the past 18 years.
‘They love to have a chat, enjoy the wonders of nature together, and try to include everyone as a friend whether they be a first-time walker with the club or a member from more years than we care to say.’
Like Corrie, Bernadette describes bushwalking as both restorative and reflective: ‘Being in nature—regardless of the weather—provides me with so many reminders of the presence of our creative God in everything from the smallest orchid to the wedge tail eagle above.’ She said the club’s diversity of walks and activities has enabled people of varying abilities and interests to participate and feel included, with options ranging from ‘hard’ walks to more relaxed botanical walks and camping trips.
Over the years, many walks have remained memorable, and not always for comfortable reasons. ‘A few months ago, a group of us walked into Mt Baw Baw via Mt St Gwinear and it rained ALL day!’ she recalled. Another memory involved camping at Mt Feathertop, when a nearby school group told other walkers they had met ‘an amazing group of 80-year-olds’ camping at Federation Hut. ‘We were NOT all 80 years old!’ Bernadette laughed.
One of her favourite places remains Johnston’s Hut on the Bogong High Plains. ‘Moonrise is quite spectacular,’ she said.
Catholic Walking Club of Victoria’s long legacy
The Catholic Walking Club of Victoria was founded in 1951 by a small group of Catholics who wanted to combine their love of bushwalking with the ability to participate in Mass as part of their weekend walking schedule. At the time, some walkers found it difficult to meet their Sunday obligation while participating in other walking groups.
That first gathering in May 1951 led to the formation of the Catholic Walking Club of Victoria, with the first official walk held the following month.
Current club president Malcom Merrey welcomed guests to the anniversary celebration, which began with prayer in gratitude for creation and the experience of love and friendship while walking together in nature. A slideshow presentation featuring photographs from three eras of the club’s history (1951-1976, 1976-2001 and 2001-2026) prompted stories and reflections as members shared memories from decades of walking together.
Speakers included long-time members Shirley Wilson and Kerry Maher, Barbara Dear and Rob Giebels, and Frances Mongan and Peter Cosgrave, each reflecting on the life of the club during their respective eras.
The club’s strong photographic tradition was also on display, with historic photo albums safely kept within the Archdiocese of Melbourne archives exhibited alongside more recent albums. The very first album of the club is a work of artistry and love by member Geoff Luscombe, the cover being crafted in wooden parquetry. It is a treasure trove of photos, sketches, cartoons and a poem or two. Andrea Luscombe, a current member of the club, who played the guitar during the gathering’s time of prayer is the Geoff’s daughter.
The afternoon concluded with a toast, the cutting of a combined anniversary and birthday cake, and time shared over refreshments and conversation, celebrating not only the history of the club, but the enduring friendships and community it continues to foster.
For both Corrie and Bernadette, the club continues to offer something far deeper than simply walking tracks and destinations—it offers a shared experience of community, creation and companionship nurtured over many years. Both hope to continue walking and sharing in that community for many years to come.
Photos and article courtesy Fiona Basile
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Photo courtesy Peter Wilson
