Drumley Walk History

The Drumley Walk was initiated by Billy Drumley’s great grand nephews, Hague Best and Rory O’Connor. Both men heard about Uncle Drumley when they were children, and wanted to create a permanent mark of respect for the man.

With research from the Yugambeh Museum, and oral histories from relatives, they pieced together information about his extra-ordinary life.

The first walk was completed in 2005, with less than 20 friends and relatives, and a back-up team of six. The group included representatives from both the Gold Coast City Council and Beaudesert Shire Council.

In 2006 the walk had grown to more than 100 participants each day, with more than 20 back-up volunteers. It included Council representatives, members of the Qld Police Service, Qld Ambulance Service, local schools, State Library of Queensland, National Parks and Wildlife Service, EPA, and many other government departments.

Local land-owners, who have fond and positive memories of the man, have opened their properties to the walkers.

Participants include indigenous and non-indigenous community members, and school children of all backgrounds.

The 2008 walk is planned for August 15 to 17, and it is expected several hundred people will apply to walk each day.

Our aim is to grow the numbers gently to create a sustainable, quality product, for many years to come.

Future Plans - The Drumley Walk Festival 2010

The vision is to gradually build the walk into a major annual cultural event by 2010, called The Drumley Walk Festival.

Walker numbers could be grown into the thousands on those parts of the trail that could accommodate such numbers.

The experience would include a pre-walk tourist itinerary enjoying Beaudesert’s tourist attractions.

The finish would be a Festival at Overell Park, at Brighton Parade, Southport.

The walk would be an expo of the finest quality indigenous food, music and culture. It would feature traditional foods cooked via traditional methods over sandy fire pits. It would also recreate food and culture specific to the early white families of the region.