Passing motorists may have spotted the lone anti-smoking campaigner sitting near the lights in Ulong Street holding a handwritten sign on Monday afternoon.

The 77-year-old is no stranger to the no-smoking cause, having persuaded people in Brisbane to butt out before moving to Griffith in August.

"I'm fairly new here. I recently came from Brisbane where I used to sit by the sea, with lots of people walking past," he said.

"I had a few different signs about quitting and even had six men and five women tell me I'd inspired them to quit."

Ironically, Mr Johnson has never been a smoker.

He was deterred early on when his father offered him a try as a young boy.

"Dad gave me a rollie when I was 12 and I took one puff and decided it would be a stupid thing to get used to," Mr Johnson said.

"I was wiser at 12 than some people are at 48.

"My uncle died at the age of 46 from smoking too much. I remember visiting him in the hospital.

"I was 28 at the time and a definite non-smoker.

"When I hear people say it's hard to quit I reckon it's a lot of rubbish. If they really want to do it they will do it."

On Monday his sign read "All those people who have quit smoking were able to do so because: they were wise enough to keep on trying."

Locals can expect to see more of Mr Johnson and his signs around the city in the coming months.