In the lead-up to one of the world's biggest youth events, hundreds of Valley community members gathered at Stuart Island in Nambucca Heads, on Thursday (2nd) for a procession to celebrate World Youth Day 2008.

The cross also paused for prayer at the memorial site of the Valley's three Bowraville children who went missing in the early 1990s – Evelyn Greenup, Clinton Speedy and Colleen Walker.

Local school students, former students now studying in Sydney, and various residents were invited to carry a four-metre 'cross' and large ‘icon of Our Lady' in a special ceremony, which combined Christianity and traditional Aboriginal spirituality.

An Aboriginal Message Stick also accompanied the World Youth Day Cross and Icon during their year-long pilgrimage around Australia. Together with the cross and icon, the message stick was handed over to local Elders at Stuart Island – the homeland of many local Aboriginal ancestors.

Fourteen Christian stations were set up around the Island depicting stories of Jesus. This followed an Aboriginal smoking ceremony, which many residents embraced.

Father Chris Ryan, who has been travelling around Australia with the cross, said the journey provided an opportunity for locals to re-focus their hopes for the youth of the Nambucca Valley both Indigenous and non indigenous.

"The cross is so powerful, it can draw together people of different cultural backgrounds," Father Ryan said.

Many residents were overcome by the presence of the cross. Many reached out to touch the symbol of strength and courage in the hope it would bring them closer to their God.

World Youth Day started in Rome in 1984 and is celebrated in a host-country every four years. Next year, hundreds of thousands of devoted Christians are expected to gather in Sydney for the Pope's visit, which was anticipated to be bigger than the Sydney 2000 Olympics.