It was back in May this year that Japanese backpacker Tomoya Matsusaka made a pledge to himself, and after travelling more than 4,000km along Australia’s eastern coastline on foot, he has finally fulfilled it.
Matsusaka arrived in Australia in June with the goal of walking all the way from Cairns to Melbourne, bringing nothing but himself, a trolley containing food and his temporary, portable home, and a determination to meet as many people as possible along the way.
“I came to Australia to walk. I chose to walk because walking is slow, so I thought I could meet a lot of people,” Matsusaka said.
Beginning his journey on the Bruce Highway, Matsusaka made his way over the Burdekin Bridge (pictured) before the long haul south to the Victorian capital, where he was met by a sizeable crowd waiting at the finish line last Monday.
Throughout the 199-day journey, Matsusaka remained active on social media, keeping the more than 50,000 followers he amassed across all platforms updated every step of the way.
His followers frequently offered food, supplies and accommodation, either in hotels or their own homes.
“A lot of people come to see me, and they offer kindness,” he said. “There were times I felt (like quitting), but meeting a lot of Australian people, I got a lot of energy from them to continue.”
After more than half a year of gruelling travel under Australia’s unforgiving sun, Matsusaka crossed the finish line in Fitzroy Gardens to cheers from the large group of Melbournian's waiting to welcome him.
He also received an outpouring of online support, with thousands sharing messages of encouragement along his journey. Facebook user Wendy Atkinson wrote: “I feel so grateful to have spent a little time with Tomoya on his journey. He’s saying to the world, ‘let’s be brave, let’s open our hearts, and let’s try.’”
Matsusaka said he remained deeply grateful for the support he received and for the experiences people helped create along the way.
“Thank you for giving me so many happy memories,” he said. “I love Australia!”
Beginning his journey on the Bruce Highway, Matsusaka made his way through the Burdekin (pictured) and continued south to the Victorian capital, where he was met by a sizeable crowd waiting at the finish line last Monday. Photo source: Instagram, @mattya_adventure
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