An Australian ultra-marathon runner dubbed ‘Ferris Gump’ is tackling one of the nation's most gruelling foot journeys, setting off from Sydney to Cairns in nothing but a pair of thongs.
The Epic Plugger-Powered Journey
Ben Ferris began his unsupported, unsponsored trek at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Pushing a trolley loaded with 40 kilograms of gear, he has already navigated his way through the Hunter region, with stops in Terrigal, Swansea, and Williamtown.
When the Newcastle Herald caught up with him near Nelson Bay, Ferris was preparing to catch a ferry to Tea Gardens before heading towards Seal Rocks. He described running 70 kilometres in a single day to beat the summer heat, aiming to be asleep by 10pm and back on the road by 5am.
Overcoming Setbacks with Strap-Reinforced Thongs
The journey is not without its challenges. Ferris has already endured three flat tyres on his trolley, along with rain and intense heat. The hard tarmac is brutal on his footwear, chewing through hundreds of pairs of his customised pluggers.
He sometimes goes through two pairs a day, reinforcing them with straps, thread, and rubber cut from car tyre inner tubes. To fund the trip, he relies on a GoFundMe page, aiming for a dollar per kilometre to cover food, equipment, and repairs, while camping roadside.
Inspiring Others to ‘Find Something Meaningful’
So why put himself through such an arduous test? For Ferris, it’s a powerful message about resilience and movement. "If people see me run 70km in a day, maybe it will inspire them to get out there and do what they have been thinking about doing," he said.
He runs in thongs, socks, or barefoot to symbolise that "your past doesn't define you or your future." His goal is to motivate people to step outside their comfort zones, get their endorphins flowing, and keep moving forward no matter their past struggles.
Looking ahead, Ferris hopes to launch a brand of pluggers to raise money for disadvantaged youth in remote communities. If he arrives in Cairns in good shape, he plans to extend his run across the top of Australia.
This is far from his first epic adventure. The former military man, who was prompted to "live life in the moment" after losing a close friend, has previously run from Sydney to Cairns twice, completed a 1000km trek from Cairns to the Cape in socks, and ran from Sydney to Melbourne in gumboots.
In 2024, he travelled to America attempting to emulate his fictional namesake, Forrest Gump, by running across the mainland US. When the seasons didn’t align, he adapted and ran from Vancouver through Washington State to Portland. In another unique feat, he used a stand-up paddle board to "run" from Byron Bay to Airlie Beach, raising awareness for ocean plastic pollution.
Ben Ferris's current 2000-plus kilometre trek is more than a physical challenge; it's a rolling testament to human spirit, proving that the journey itself, however tough, holds profound meaning.
