STAMP OUT RACISM

Exclusive

By SARAH WATERS

WITH well-worn shoes, but a purposeful stride, Peter Elzer had a fresh sense of determination as he made his way into Pottsville last Thursday (April 6) edging closer to the finish line of his epic 2023km walk.

Mr Elzer, 67, set out on a solo mission on December 23 last year, to walk from Melbourne to Seventeen Seventy, near Gladstone, in 101 days.

He has bashed his way through bush, navigated his way along roads and beaches, while battling the elements and sleeping rough.

It hasn’t just been a personal challenge for the retired aged care nurse from Coffs Harbour.

His mission has been to create change one step at a time through his ‘Stamp Out Racism’ campaign.

The issue of racism, which he said still lingers throughout Australia, has bothered him for a long time.

A racist remark he overheard about NRL players when he was socialising one night, was the ‘trigger’ for the avid rugby league fan, who decided it was time to do something.

“I went home and said this is crap, I’ve heard this rubbish for years,” Mr Elzer said.

“I think it’s about time I started calling it out.

“People generally aren’t as fourth right in their racism now, it’s more hidden, it’s more subtle, but behind closed doors it’s still there,” he said.

Driven also by ‘a sense of anger’ about the historical injustice of Indigenous Australians, Mr Elzer felt compelled to challenge long-held attitudes and mindsets.

“I was brought up being taught history through white man’s eyes.

“All of my generation have been fooled and given an untrue recording of history.

“We know now that Indigenous people were treated like animals,” he said.

Mr Elzer has opened up the conversation about racism in many cities, towns and sports clubs over the last few months. Although he has been shunned at times, overall, his message has been well received.

“People who do have different views, but they’re still interested, those are the ones that this message is getting to.

“They think this guy is doing this 2000km walk for a reason, yet I’m racist and I’ve been brought up that way.

“It’s conflicting in their minds, which is good because they start to think about their own attitudes.”

The walk has been mentally and physically challenging.

Mr Elzer has so far covered an average of 20kms per day on foot, while pulling and carrying 20kgs of supplies.

He has slept on park benches, beaches, the side of the road or at a caravan park if he is lucky.

Early into the walk he almost gave up.

“On day three, I came down a mountain track, near Kinglake in Victoria, google told me there was a track there to get to the next town.

“But the track disappeared in front of my eyes because there had been a bushfire there in 2009 and it just didn’t exist anymore.

“I was stuck at the bottom of a mountain, I couldn’t go back up the mountain with my trailer, I couldn’t go forwards because there was no track.

“I thought I’m in a snake-infested bush what am I going to do now.

“I had to take the backpack off and carry it 20 meters, come back for the trailer and carry it over fallen trees and logs.

“I couldn’t see because the bush was that thick. I did that for about 2kms until I found a road.”

Despite the precarious situation, Mr Elzer said he managed to find a servo near-by and ate the best burger he has ever eaten.

Random acts of kindness, such as people handing him a coffee and food or offering him a place to sleep when he has been walking in the middle of nowhere, has always refreshed his spirits.

“It has all been worth it - it’s all been well above expectationsthrough the people I’ve spoken to, plus all the media coverage, I think my message would have reached about two million people.

“Talking with people in towns, has been really good, you get to know a lot of people and I’ve made a lot of friends.

“When people hear the story, they go wow that’s incredible.”

Over Easter, Mr Elzer enjoyed a well-deserved break.

He stopped at his daughter’s house in Cabarita Beach for a couple of nights, before making his way up to Varsity Lakes.

The final stages of the journey will see him walk from Gympie to Bundaberg and then up to Agnes Water.

On April 24, he will be joined by his family to walk the final 5kms of his journey to Seventeen Seventy, near Gladstone.

Mr Elzer chose to end his walk in Seventeen Seventy, for the symbolic reason that it is the second landing place of James Cook. His journey from Melbourne to Seventeen Seventy is 2023kms, to coincide with the year 2023.

Follow his Facebook page: STAMP_OUT_ RACISM_2023 for all updates or scan the QR Code.