William Creek gives Nicolo Guarrera star treatment on Sydney-Darwin trek

It’s not everyday a tourist literally strolls into town on this remote part of South Australia’s famous Oodnadatta track.

A remote South Australian town was amazed and impressed by the arrival of a unique visitor over the weekend, who showed up on foot amid an epic stroll across the continent.
Italian adventurer Nicolo Guarrera, 29, caused a stir at William Creek on the Oodnadatta track over the weekend when he arrived in scenes reminiscent of the classic movie Forrest Gump.

Mr Guarrera even received the same celebrity treatment from the stunned locals.

“The last couple of days people have been talking about it,” William Creek Hotel manager Taylor Stewart said.
Mr Guerrera has been on a mission to walk from Sydney to Darwin since March, and is in a race against the clock to finish his journey before his visa expires.

The adventurer, who goes by the Instagram handle Pieroad, told locals he walks “40 to 50 kilometres per day” and has six months to complete his trip.

“The visa cannot be extended,” he wrote on Instagram.

He has previously walked across the Atacama Desert in South America.

Nicolo Guarrera walked into William Creek on the weekend on his way from Sydney to Darwin. Picture: supplied

Nicolo Guarrera walked into William Creek on the weekend on his way from Sydney to Darwin. Picture: supplied

Mr Guarrera said on his website the decision to travel was “instinctive” and he travels on foot because he has “always liked walking”.

He travels with a small three-wheeled trolley he has dubbed Ezio.

“In this adventure I’ll have a fellow, Ezio, who will walk with me step by step, helping me to bring supplies and equipment along the journey,” Mr Guarrera wrote on his website.

Ms Stewart, who said the traveller was “very friendly” and stayed for “a couple of hours” at the hotel before staff gave Mr Guarrera “a couple of beers, water, a pie and rice” before he went on his way.

“We offered for him to stay but he said he had to keep going.”

The walker told Ms Stewart the area was “his favourite part of Australia so far”.

“I think it’s great, he’s done a cracker of a job,” she said.

He is currently continuing along the Oodnatta Track after moving on from William Creek.

“A journey in the desert is a journey inside yourself,” he wrote on Instagram.

“Entering the desert you realise the majesty of its slow stride: you do not cross it in a single leap but with millions of small steps, each of which is a stretch of road, a part of experience and a fragment of life.”