Storm Trooper crosses Australia

Star Wars fan Jacob French, 21, is on what he calls a Trooper Trek - walking across Australia dressed as an Imperial Storm Trooper to raise money for the Starlight Foundation

He walked his way through Moruya and Batemans Bay yesterday, much to the delight of passing motorists and other onlookers.

The suit and his legs are doing the trick, because since leaving Perth on July 11 last year Jacob has raised $90,000 for the foundation.

“I only anticipated raising $50,000,” he said. “I’m really happy because I am raising money for a good cause and I am giving people plenty of laughs at the same time.”

Jacob, who was a big Star Wars fan as a youngster, has been part of the 501st Legion, a volunteer charity group which makes appearances at charity events and visits sick kids in hospital, since 2009, and it was from this that he got the idea for the Trooper Trek.

He has been camping on roadsides, and living on camp food like noodles and pasta. Every four or five days he stops at a caravan park and has a shower and a proper meal.

“It’s almost always hot in this suit, even in weather like this on the NSW South Coast, and I have had a couple of 43 degree days on the Nullabor Plain,” he said.

Ron Snape, the driving force behind the Moruya Oncology Fundraising Group, saw Jacob walking across the Nullabor Plain in searing summer heat.

“People asked if I picked him up, but I thought ‘anyone dressed up like a spaceman walking across the desert is a bloody lunatic’, and I couldn’t away quick enough,” he said.

Ron has since discovered Jacob’s identity and donated to his cause.

To donate to Jacob’s campaign, go to www.troopertrek.com or the link to Facebook and Twitter.