SEVEN days into his epic journey by foot from Sydney to Dubbo, former journalist Malcolm Brown says he is powering along.
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Describing his journey as "a symbolic return to his roots," he made Bathurst yesterday in good time.
"I'm feeling great actually and covering around 30 kilometres a day, I'm standing up to it," he said.
"It's certainly something I can manage with plenty of water and a good hat."
While in Bathurst Mr Brown met with Mayor Monica Morse who took him to the exact spot where Governor Macquarie declared Bathurst a settlement.
"Bathurst has some involvement in the anniversary of the Blue Mountains crossing which took place in 1813," he said.
"The crossing was an incredible thing because it opened up the whole of NSW all the way to Dubbo.
"Until then penetration into Australia had been around the periphery, the crossing inland opened up pastoral and gold country."
In the last couple of days, Mr Brown said he had been surprised by the number of supporters who had joined him briefly on his walk.
He said a former employer had sponsored him ten cents per kilometre which would equate to $4000 by the time he reached Dubbo.
The money was being donated to the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick.
"Mr Armati who was the proprietor at the time hired me back in 1969 as a journalist in Dubbo, he gave me my first writing job," he said.
Mr Brown is looking forward to having his sister Jill Brown, who is an assistant surgeon, join him as road crew on the next leg of his trip.
His other sister Meredith Hatherly, who lives in Canberra, will take over as road crew on the final leg of the trip from Molong to Dubbo.
"It will be great to have them along, they'll make me a cup of tea, that sort of thing."
lisa.minner@fairfaxmedia.com.au