10,000 MILE WALK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 7 August 1925, Page 8

10,000 MILE WALK.

SYDNEY NOMAD’S FEAT. AROUND AUSTRALIA IN 17 MONTHS. Oji February 1, 1924, Mr. G. Reid left' Sydney to walk to Sydney, and lie found tiie distance to be oyer 10,009 miles. That was because lie chose the coastline, of Australia for a route. He arrived at the Daily Telegraph Office, Sydney, recently, after an absence of 174 months, looking, as energetic as ever, albeit a little “down at heel,’,’ so far as his sixth and nrach-mencled pair of boots was concerned. Not having undertaken .this long and lonely pilgrimage for. a wager, as one would think, Mr. Reid looked upon his nomadic achievement as a simple demonstration in human endurance ancl enterprise. There was not a great deal of joy attached to it, nor did his path, for the most part, li© through lands flowing with milk and honey. EJxeept in the towns and settlements within the confines of civilisation, he tramped alone through dark and desolate tracts, wher© untamed Nature rules supreme. Some of these “stretches” extended for 200 miles, and all the food and water the traveller had was borne upon liis shoulders. The rough ground tore his boots to rib, bons and crippled him for days at a time. His only companions were the sun and the stars, and at auspicions in_ tervals the roving blaekfellows. The latter, happily, were well disposed, and did not exhibit the slightest tendency to convey him to a cooking pot. Air. Reid walked to Brisbane, via Tamworth, and followed: the coastline to Townsville. He then passed through, Cloncurry, Mount Isa, and Cammoweal and took the overland stock route ;to Newcastle Waters, whenc© he made his way by the Catherine River to Darwin. From Darwin he tramped over difficult and thirsty country to Victoria Depot and Wyndham, in West Australia. Here h© turned inland as far as Hall’s Creek. From Broome he made his, way via Hamlen Pools to Perth, where he had a brief respite before commencing the long trek to the east. - Air. Reid said he paid all the expenses of his “trip” by the sale of Opals en route, but he made no secret of the fact that it was the kindness and hospitality of the scattered pioneers in the country “bade o’ beyond” which cheered him on his way, and gave him the heart to attain his goal.