Grant Cadoret, affectionately known as John the Highway Man, went walkabout 40 years ago and has been on the road ever since.

In 1977 the 22-year-old left his air-conditioned office in a Melbourne bank and traded it all in for the freedom of the open road.

“I looked around the office one day and thought to myself ‘I’m not sitting here for 20 years,’” John said.

Despite the sweltering heat, aching feet, and occasional snake attack John said he has “no complaints” about his choice of lifestyle.

“I just fell into the lifestyle and I enjoy it. I feel relaxed. If you didn’t enjoy it you’d take a lift or give up,” he said.

When he first started his journey he was one of many swagmen walking the highways, but now he is one of the few genuine Australian swagmen left.

Back in the day he survived by scavenging food thrown out by drivers and picking up loose change on the road, but these days he has the support of fans who stop to feed him.

Over the years he has become an Australian legend who has several social media fan pages that document his steady progress.

At first he didn’t understand how so many people knew who he was, until somebody explained what Facebook was to him.

“It just goes over my head,” he said.

Other things had to be explained to him, like the internet and the mobile phones that everybody seems to be using these days.

His well-meaning nephew gave him an iPod and taught him how to use it, but John mostly prefers traditional entertainment such as books.

He has no particular destination in mind, but for the time being he is headed to Ballarat where he will meet up with family.

For John the Highway Man, the journey is more important than the destination.