A Japanese man riding a scooter across a huge stretch of Australia has now been spotted on the Stockton ferry.
The 23-year-old backpacker, known only as Uni, is riding his scooter from Melbourne to Cairns.
A post on the Wangi Wangi Community Noticeboard last week said: "Welcome to beautiful Wangi Wangi, Uni".
He was originally spotted travelling up the hill near Myuna Bay, but has since made it to Newcastle Harbour.
"Our ferry team were only too happy to give Uni a rest as he travelled to beautiful Stockton. Well done Uni - keep going," the Newcastle Transport page posted on Facebook.
Lala Stewart, who posted the original photo of Uni arriving in the region, told the Herald that "my daughter Shayla actually took that picture with her phone as I was driving".
"We were on our way home when we spotted this young man riding his scooter along the busy road," Lala said.
"Not every day you see a scooter rider wearing a traditional Japanese hat and clothing on a busy road. We noticed on his backpack a sign that said Melbourne to Cairns.
"As fascinating as it was to see, we were curious to find out who this young man is. So after some googling and, to our amazement, my partner found a story about Uni and his determination to travel 3000 kilometres on his foot-powered scooter. What an inspiration. It made our day, it did."
Uni, of Tokyo, aims to complete the trip in five months.
"Take the risk - do it," he said on Instagram, next to a photo of himself on a cliff top in Sydney.
He's taking back roads for safety and documenting his travels on social media.
Channel Nine reported that strangers have been opening their "homes and hearts" to him.
His social media shows people have welcomed and befriended him on his travels.
People have "offered him food, showers, a bed for the night".
"What I appreciate most of all is people who were complete strangers letting me stay at their homes," he told The Guardian.
The New York Times also wrote a piece on Uni's Australian trip.
Uni told Nine he was "shy and didn't like talking".
"I want to change myself," he said, explaining why he is doing the trip.
It is not his first scooter odyssey. He reportedly did a lap of Japan on a scooter a year ago.
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