Man's charity ride on mower
A man on a ride-on mower is hoping to raise thousands of dollars for charity with a marathon journey around Australia.
Craig Alford has already been on the road for two years and is hoping to see the finish line by 2018.
Aboard his bright yellow lawnmower, nicknamed 'the Beast', he roared into Melbourne for a pit stop during this morning's rush hour.
"The looks on peoples' faces as I come around the corner and see a lawnmower on the road," he said. "They go 'what is that?'"
It is a mag wheel-clad souped up Hustler, with a top speed of 36km per hour.
For men's health crusader Craig, an ideal and reliable vehicle for covering the entire country raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer and depression.
"In the 3,000 kilometres we've done now, we haven't put a spanner on it," he said.
He travelled from Perth to Kalgoorlie in 2012 and across the Nullabor to Adelaide last year.
This year's leg via Melbourne to Sydney is expected to take three weeks and he hopes to complete the 15,000km trip around the country by 2018.
"The weather is probably the biggest thing we've had to worry about," Craig said.
Despite searing 49 degree heat on the Nullarbor, nothing has deterred the mower man from reaching his goal - albeit slowly.
His aim is is to raise $1 million for his chosen charities.
Ted Whitten, of the EJ Whitten Foundation, said: "We don't receive any funding for the work we do promoting prostate cancer awareness, so its fantastic."
And far from letting the grass grow under his feet, Craig will attempt to mow his way into the record books.
"I'm hoping to be the first lawnmower to go all the way round Australia," he said.
And for a charitable dollar or two he is not averse to cutting the odd lawn during his marathon mission.
You can donate to the cause by visiting the [www.ridetotheotherside.org.au|Ride to the Other side] website.
