NAMBUCCA Valley gave a helpful welcome to world traveller Michael Kozok from Poland who is making his way unmotorised from Steep Point in WA to Cape York in QLD, in celebration of gaining his Australian citizenship.

Leaving Stuarts Point on Thursday morning 19 January, Michael was planning to walk along the roads through Macksville to Mylestom.

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But with a twist of luck, his Boambee Creek resident friend Basia Meder twisted her ankle, meaning she couldn’t join her kayaking group and decided she’d lend the kayak to Michael to cross the Bellinger River.

This then posed the challenge of getting across the Nambucca River first.

“I decided to use the local Facebook group to ask for help and the first person to offer was Brad from River Guardians who lent me a stand up paddle board (SUP),” Michael told News Of The Area.

“Another first was the people from Grassy Head offering me a hot chocolate.

“And Nambucca RSL messaged me ‘pop in and we’ll give you food and drink’ and I thought ‘why not?’…they gave me a nice meal which I really appreciated.”

The beauty of the area has also left a lasting impression on Michael.

“Walking from Nambucca what surprised me were the escarpments, the heads, the unique Urunga Footbridge, it’s just beautiful to walk through.”

Michael said the biggest price he is paying for this lone travelling experience is separation from his family.

However, he has spent several individual weeks joined by wife Evelina and son Natan, who walked the Larapinta Trail, the Great Ocean Walk and the Royal National Park with him.

“From the other perspective I hope my son can learn the life lesson of following your dream, as long as you don’t hurt anyone.

“When I was passing through Sydney, Natan’s teacher asked if I would come to the school and give a speech.

“I asked my son, ‘would you like it if I came?’ and I saw this flash of pride in his eyes.

“So, we prepared a presentation together and he was part of it.

“I definitely believe that he will take knowledge and inspiration from this into his older life,” said Michael.

The intrepid traveller has been to 151 countries and accomplished his project of crossing all inhabited continents in the world from one side to the other without using a plane.

When he traversed unmotorised across South America he came up with the idea of celebrating his citizenship with the Unmotorised Crossing Australia 2022/3 project, taking him through all geographical capes and via the highest summits of all mainland states and territories, WA to QLD.

Pressing on with his celebration of Australia, Michael soon leaves his current stop-over in Sawtell heading north to Grafton.

Why is he heading inland?

“I can’t walk on the beach with a shopping trolley,” he said.

The shopping trolley is being borrowed and will be returned in Byron.

“I think I will look homeless,” he said, “and I will see how people treat me…probably more distanced.”

Michael is booked in to Warm Showers, a non-profit accommodation for the cycling community, in Emerald Beach and then Dirty Creek.

“I told them I didn’t have a bicycle; I had a shopping trolley and they said that was cool and accepted me.”

To read more about Michael, his trip and his progress around Australia visit http://kozok.eu/en/acrossaustralia00stage.php or on Facebook by searching kozok.eu Unmotorised Australia Crossing.

By Andrea FERRARI