Claude Harvey will “cut” an unusual figure when he strolls into the city tomorrow, pushing his bedazzling purple lawnmower raising funds and awareness for the prevention of child sexual assault.

Mr Harvey has been making his way gradually south from his home on the Gold Coast and between a handful of different charities and causes has singlehandedly raised just shy of $1 million.

“I walk somewhere in Australia, 12 months each year, including a 120km walk on the Gold Coast where I have been living. I’ve done that for 11 years,” he said.

He has raised $32,000 since departing Tweed Heads with his mower and said his is aiming for more than $74,000 by the time he reaches Newcastle in March.

“It’s been a pretty long walk, a long track,” he said.

All funds go to the child sexual assault counselling service Bravehearts – just one of the six charities his walks over previous years have raised funds for.

Making his way south, Mr Harvey said he was inspired by a two young children, who were abused by their neighbour.

“They were three and four and he was 16 and he got a pat on the back and told to be a good boy,” Mr Harvey said.

“I thought that was pretty terrible. I think he should have been tried as an adult because at 16, if you don’t know what you’re doing, there is something wrong with you.”

The mower became a symbol of how he could make a difference.

“I was mowing the lawn one day and I thought to myself, if I just walk no-one will take notice of me, but if I decorate a lawnmower the whole world will take notice,” he said.

Half a dozen communities later and more than $30,000 raised, he said the long trek has been well worth it.

He is anticipating returning home as late as April and already has a Sunshine Coast walk for the cause in the think tank.

“I absolutely love the Bravehearts education program,” he said.

“I went to my grandchildren’s schools and saw it for myself and I think it is a great education program.”

Government statistics reveal one  in five Australian children will be sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday – a number which Bravehearts aims to halve by 2020.