Liverpool man to run over 1,200 miles across Australia in support of NSPCC

A vet from Croxteth is hoping to be the first person to run 1,200 miles across Australia between the start and ends points of the upcoming AC/DC tour to raise money for the NSPCC.

Author and athlete Rob Pope started his epic Highway to Help run on November 16 in Melbourne, Australia, and is following the rock band’s 2025 tour along the Eastern Coast. He will 43 miles a day over four weeks until he reaches the last show at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Rob is aiming to raise £50,000 split between the NSPCC, Australian children’s charity The Smith Family and the WWF and will be dressing up as members of AC/DC during the run.

He met the Australian rock band backstage before a recent show, where they committed to sign inflatable guitars and sell them at each Australian show to help with his fundraising.

Rob, who has previously raised thousands of pounds for various charities, has written a book called Becoming Forrest, about covering 15,600 miles over 18 months. During that challenge, he crossed the United States five times – completing the epic run undertaken by Tom Hanks’s iconic character, Forrest Gump.

Rob is also the host of the Red Bull podcast called How to be Superhuman, where he chats to endurance athletes of all backgrounds.

NSPCC Volunteer Engagement Officer, Rachel Walker, said:

“One of the highlights of working in the charity sector is meeting these ‘super’ human beings that just make everything you do in life seem to pale into insignificance, yet at the same time motivate you to become a better person. 

“Rob is one of these people. 

“Rob lost his Mum, Cathy, to lung cancer when she was just 48, and before she died she had said to Rob: “Do one thing in your life that makes a difference.” Rob went on to qualify as a vet, became the 2015 Australia men’s marathon champion and hold 3 world records.” 

You can follow Rob’s journey on Instagram, and donate to his fundraising total by clicking here.

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