He walked through the Blue Mountains last week, recreating the steps of the young men who took part in the 1915 Coo-ee March which drove recruitment for World War I.
But Annandale man Pieter Lindhout was walking for a different call to arms - to get young people to talk about mental health.
"We want to get the message out that it's okay not to be okay," Mr Lindhout told the Gazette during his stop in Springwood on April 15. "Just put your hand up and reach out to someone. Don't suffer in silence."
His goal is to raise $20,000 for youth mental health organisation, Batyr, by the time he reaches Sydney on Anzac Day.
Three of Mr Lindhout's great uncles served in World War I and a box of wartime letters kept by his mother helped spark his historical tribute. He has written a book based on letters sent to his great aunt, Florence Campbell, by Private Jack Jensen, during the war.
"There's a letter from June 1919, after the Armistice, that I cried when I read because his battles didn't finish on Armistice Day," he said. "He brought back to Australia a lot of the traumatic stress that accompanies our veterans."
Mr Lindhout said while "we've come a long way understanding mental health issues in 100 years, there's still a massive stigma around mental health".
"I thought, 'How can I be part of the solution?' so I partnered with Batyr, whose mission is to prevent youth suicide."
Mr Lindhout tackled Berghofers Pass at Mount Victoria on April 13.
"That's an old 1912 pass, I've never done that before so you know what a gift right, to be out in the country bush walking off the main road for a day...it's just too delightful for words," he told the Lithgow Mercury.
He said the other highlights of his journey had been the kindness of strangers and in particular sparking up conversations around mental health.
"You end up sharing some quite deep personal stories often of grief from people around mental health and youth suicide," he said.
The original Coo-ee March left Gilgandra with 25 men on October 10, 1915, and arrived in Martin Place, Sydney on November 12, 1915, with 263 recruits.
For more details on Mr Lindhout's campaign, click here.