Watch out, Tonka's on the home stretch and he's wearing a wedding dress!
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Five days after starting out on a massive walk from the Northern Territory border, Tony "Tonka" Toholke arrives in Mount Isa tonight (Friday) in time for the PBR on day 1 of the Mount Isa Show.
Tonka is hoping to be only the second man to win the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo Queen Quest and he is raising funds a cause very close to his heart, This is a Conversation Starter (TIACS) Foundation, which aims to facilitate conversations around mental health.
On Monday Tonka set off on a 210km jaunt from the border with only the town of Camooweal to break the Outback scenery.
"This is a good old fashioned walkathon," he said.
"I thought it would be a good way to challenge myself mentally and physically and raise funds for my charity."
Tonka has been walking about about eight hours a day, averaging 40km a day.
The North West Star caught up with Tonka on a cold Friday morning, when he had just 30km to go, garbed out in, of course, a wedding dress.
"It's freezing out here but I'm nearly there," Tonka said.
"I started at 6am on Monday morning out at the Territory border and I've been plodding along all week."
Tonka said his body was standing up well to the challenge
"I was feeling a bit sore but I'm feeling pretty good, so I decided to wear a wedding dress for the last 30km," he said.
Tonka plans to arrive in town after 6pm tonight (Friday June 21) arrive at the Show's PBR around 6.30pm.
"I've had a long association with the Show so really looking for to finishing there," he said,
"So come along the PBR and give us a cheer."
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
