13 pairs of boots : the road travelled was only half the journey

Howison, Mark2021

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Summary

In 1973 David Howison announced to his then 17-year-old son Mark that they were going to walk around Australia to raise money in order to build a wildlife sanctuary to protect kangaroos. Once he got over his initial shock, Mark was up for the adventure. Thanks to the local Kangaroo Protection Society they were kitted out in boots, hats and suncreen and given a sponsorship with Hanimax cameras. After leaving Sydney with a huge farewell from a Scottish Highlander band, thousands of people and many media interviews, it was just Mark, his dad, and their dog Wendy on the road. The fourth member of their team was a large cart carrying their belongings, which they pulled behind them. Anticipating a hero's welcome and free hospitality at every town, the pair soon discover that not only are they left to fend for themselves but that, in the bush, the bloody kangaroos don't need saving and on many occasions angry farmers reminded them of this fact by firing bullets over their heads. Dirt roads, wild-driving semi trailers, feral pigs, crocodiles, snakes, rogue RSPCA officers and, eventually lack of food and, even more importantly to David, cigarettes, turn this inspiring quest into one of survival. To make matters worse, halfway through the trip, not only have the locals turned against them, Mark and David begin to become heartily sick of each other. And that is when the fun really begins.