Johns walks through Peninsula

Former NRL player Andrew Johns walked through the Peninsula on October 22, as part of his Newcastle to Sydney charity walk for the Black Dog Institute.

The Andrew Johns Walk began on October 19, where he walked more than 100kms over six days to raise awareness and funds for bipolar disorder.

The fourth day of the walk saw Johns start the day with a kids' rugby league coaching clinic at Gosford, followed by a 10km walk from Fagan Park in Point Clare to Ettalong Beach jetty.

Johns then took the Palm Beach Ferry across Broken Bay to finish at Newport.

The event aimed to lift the profile of the Black Dog Institute, raise funds and highlight Johns' association with the institute and explain his experience with bipolar disorder.

The six-day walk travelled through Newcastle's city centre, Bar Beach, Belmont, Toukley, North Entrance, Long Jetty, Terrigal, Point Clare, Ettalong, Manly and The Rocks.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd committed $2 million to the Black Dog Institute and the NIB Foundation a further $100,000 as part of the Andrew Johns Walk.

Andrew Johns said he wanted to do something to help the facility as Black Dog Institute executive director professor Gordon Parker and his team had been very supportive of him.

"Doing the walk from Newcastle to Sydney is one way of drawing attention to bipolar disorder and depression," Mr Johns said.

"I hope that, as a result, lots of suffering Australians will discover a pathway to get help."

The Black Dog Institute is an educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility offering specialist expertise in mood disorders - a range of disorders that include depression and bipolar disorder (formerly called manic depression).

Press release, 21 Oct 2008 Carol Moore, Moore Public Relations