73yo on epic trek to SCG fundraising for McGrath Foundation

But the 73-year-old was bound for the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) by foot when he was spotted just outside Bega after completing 656 kilometres of his 1308-kilometre journey.

As one of the McGrath Foundation's most dedicated supporters, Prabodh was trekking from the Melbourne Cricket Ground to the SCG with a plan to arrive on day one of the 2025 Pink Test.

McGrath Foundation ambassador and director, Tracy Bevan acknowledged his incredible journey was not only a gesture of solidarity but a powerful call to action to support those affected by breast cancer.

"Generous support from an everyday Australian like Prabodh is always special, but the fact he's chosen to do something so extraordinary for three years in a row was truly incredible," she said.

"Prabodh's fundraising generosity will help us get closer to our goal of ensuring no-one misses out on the care of a breast care nurse and we couldn't be more grateful."

From November 22 to December 4, he can be spotted as he passes through the Bega Valley Shire and the Eurobodalla Shire.

Adorned in a wide-brimmed hat with a fly net covering his face, a must-have as the temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius, Prabodh focused entirely on the road ahead, free from distractions.

"It is just like driving a car, you need to fully concentrate, you need to watch the traffic, you need to be able to listen to anything happening around you," he said.

"This is the most beautiful part of Australia.

"The mayor Russell Fitzpatrick walked with us from Broadwater to Merimbula a couple of days ago and took about 2.5 hours, leaving at 6am."

Prabodh trained for six to eight months by completing one of Melbourne's most popular bushwalks, the "1000 Steps Walk" in the Dandenong Ranges.

"I've been walking for many years, but the focus was on me staying fit and keeping the weight intact," he said.

"After retiring, I was watching cricket on the television and there was a team of youngsters who walked from Newcastle to the SCG.

"They raised $120,000 in the process, and that put me in a thinking mode 'If they can walk 120 kilometres and raise $120,000, maybe I can raise the bar a bit'."

Since then, he's completed the walk from the MCG to the SCG twice, making the 2024/25 trip his third attempt, a hat trick if he becomes successful.

By Quaama, on the NSW Far South Coast, he had fundraised $111,431.

"My friends thought I was crazy. They thought retirement meant you put your feet up or go somewhere," the former university teacher of health economics said.

"My thinking is that if my walk saves a life, improves a life, it's worth it, and if someone gets inspired by my walk, it's a bonus."

To follow Prabodh's route and to donate, go to: www.pinkisthecolour.com.au/fundraisers/PrabodhMalhotra