|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
CLICK THE BUTTONS ABOVE TO VISIT THE AFFILIATED SITES OR TO MAKE A DONATION
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
Day 1 (97km) Melbourne to Seymour Monday 10th May On a cold winter's morning in downtown Melbourne, temp 5 degrees, a team of Nordic Pole Walkers are about to embark on a Nordic Pole Walkabout from Melbourne City to Brisbane city with 2,000km to be covered in 22 Days. They are hoping to raise community awareness about the health benefits of the poles and in the same time raise some money for the worthy charities of Children First and CareFlight. |
 |
|||
|
|
||||
 Day 2 (115km) Seymour to Benalla via Euroa Tuesday 11th May Starting out in Seymour in 0 degrees on day two. A crisp but sunny day the going was tough as we had to cover 115km in just 10 hours of daylight; but it all ended well with the Benalla Police coming to our assistance to escort us into town. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
 Day 3 (114km) Benalla to Wodonga via Wangaratta Wednesday 12th May ABC Radio interviewed Michael live on-air on a perfect autumn morning, Exhausting work? Then they helped him safely through town traffic with an escort. We are very grateful to the Police for their support and assistance in making this journey safe for the Team. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 4 (73km) Wodonga to Holbrook Thursday 13th May 1. The Walkabout warriors bodies were proudly fueled by our generous sponsors IGA all along the walkabout route.
Notice we didn't make any "Jay-Walking" gags here. 3. Father and son combination alongside the historic submarine in the township of Holbrook. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 5 (117km) Holbrook to Gundagai Friday 14th May Mike is being escorted by Grace and Colleen with only a few kilometers to go to the finish line at Gundagai. The team were feeling very relieved after a big day of 117km and reaching their destination of Gundagai Post office. |
 |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 6 (104km) Gundagai to Yass Saturday 15th May Mike takes on a semi-trailer in a hill climb race to the top of Conroys Gap 650m above sea level and 5km to the top; you will have to ask him who won. The Walkabout Team in were in great spirits after reaching Yass on schedule. |
 |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 7 (62km) Yass to Canberra Sunday 16th May Jay motoring along the Bardon Highway on his poles towards Canberra. >
|
 < The team feeling great after reaching the Australian Capital Canberra.  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 8 (92km) Canberra to Goulburn Monday 17th May The team called into St. Patrick's College, Goulburn, to spread the word about NordicFit Pole Walking and the Walkabout K's for Kid's Health trek. This photo shows the team tucking into a hearty dinner in the mess with the students of St Patricks College. Let's hope they're Nordic Poles, and not replacement stingers! > When in Canberra strange things can
happen to people Pete (not in costume) has been nicknamed the
Queen Bumble bee; |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 9 (85km) Goulburn to Mittagong Tuesday 18th May Prior to departing for Mittagong, Mike explains to the students of St Patricks of Goulburn the benefits of Nordic Pole Walking and why they are doing the K's for Kids Health.
|
Then it was on to Mittagong via the M2. |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 10 (108km) Mittagong to Bankstown Wednesday 19th May Flying through the 1,000km mark. Walkabout team members with Ray Hasse and his wife from the Lions Club of Mittagong and grandchildren. The Lions Club have played an integral part with their generous support along the Walkabout route, the team really could not have got this far without the Lions commitment. Mike explains the benefits of daily physical activity of Nordic Pole Walking as simple and fun to the students of Chevalier College, in Mittagong, and then gives practical experience. > |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 11 (24km) Bankstown to Sydney City Centre and Promotional Day Thursday 20th May The Guru (Marko Kantaneva) of Nordic Pole Walking in Finland, arrives in Sydney. Marko is here to catch up with his good friend Michael and team member Pete Oliver for the final leg of the Walkabout from Sydney to Brisbane. After 26 years Michael returns to his old school, Holy Spirit, to spread the good news to current students about Nordic Pole Walking. Part of the charter of the K's for Kid's Health Walkabout is to spread the word to young people and get them off to a healthy start in life. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 12 (87km) Sydney to Gosford Friday 21st May Today we create history with the first ever Harbour Bridge crossing on Nordic Walking Poles as we head north towards our next destination Gosford. The two World Gurus of Nordic Pole Walking (Aussie on left; Finnish on the right) discussing global issues on physical activity as they enjoy the walk across the Harbour Bridge. The team enjoyed a nice relaxing evening at Trevor Rules house (President of Ettalong Lions Club) after successfully navigating the Sydney traffic to make the journey safely northwards to Gosford. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 13 (115km) Gosford to Raymond Terrace via Toronto Saturday 22nd May Bertrand (whom we nicknamed the "Leaping Frog") in action on his way north out of Gosford. Jay looks nice and warm after completing the final leg into Raymond Terrace at the end of another clear and sunny day. A lot of our overnight accommodation has been in the form of school dormitories or in tents. Prior to departure, Grace and Adrian discuss stretches allocation for each team member.
|
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 14 (125km) Raymond Terrace to Forster via Buladelah Sunday 23rd May Preparing to depart Raymond Terrace on Day 14 under a heavy fog on such and early morning start, we are glad to be on schedule with no major incidents to report. As the day clears, father and son are seen below negotiating the winding Buladelah section, and a relieved but proud team end the day at Forster Post Office.
|
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 15 (60km) Forster to Coopernook via Taree Monday 24th May Meredith joined the team in Sydney, and proudly finishes Day 15 at Coopernook. > Looking at the road travelled, she
did well. V |
 |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 16 (104km) Coopernook to Kempsey via Port Macquarie/ Wauchope Interchange Tuesday 25th May Jay had set a cracking poling pace on our way to Kempsey, where Grace thanked the President of Port Macquarie Lions for their generous donation of $1000.00. A huge thanks goes out to the Lions and SES of Kempsey for their hospitality in feeding and accommodating us at Kempsey on our journey. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 17 (113km) Kempsey to Coffs Harbour via Macksville Wednesday 26th May One of our many early morning starts getting ready to leave Kempsey after our stay at the local racetrack. Some of the local Coffs Habour boys get instructions from Mike on how to get the most benefit from the poles with correct technique. |
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 18 (86km) Coffs Harbour to Grafton Thursday 27th May Some new faces join the team at Coffs Harbour before continuing north on the final days to Brisbane. >
|
  |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 19 (103km) Grafton to Woodburn via Maclean Friday 28th May Joining the team at Coffs Harbour James struts his stuff on his way from Grafton to Woodburn. |
 |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 20 (111km) Woodburn to Pottsville via Ballina Saturday 29th May As the sun rises on day 20 Mike gets an early start from Woodburn to Pottsville Beach.
|
  |
|||
| (above-right) Jay is welcomed into his home town of Pottsville by an unexpected sign placed on a tree on the outskirts of the town. | ||||
|
|
||||
Day 21 (74km) Pottsville to Coomera via Kingscliff, thence Surfers Paradise Sunday 30th May Mike and Grace are greeted at Kingscliff by Federal Minister for Children and Youth Services (Larry Anthony) and also the Tweed Mayor (Warren Polglase) and Assistant Director of Catholic Mission (Peter Gates). >
|
< Without the support of these great people from Kingscliff Lions the Walkabout would not have been as comfortable due to the fact of the club puchasing our tents and also having a big BBQ brekky in the park at Kingscliff to help raise funds for the team. |
|||
|
Jays sisters (Keira & Tammy) are keen to see him home safe and well at the Lions BBQ Brekky at Kingscliff. > |
 |
|||
|
|
||||
Day 22 (60km) Coomera to Brisbane Monday 31st May
|
||||
| Journey Completed! | ||||
2.
Jay powers his way up the main street of Holbrook towards the finish
line of his leg of the walk.
<
Following his antics in 
<
The Australian Ambassador of Nordic Pole Walking welcomes Walkabout Warrior Bertrand home from his epic journey from Melbourne to Brisbane.