Richard and his group of friends, the Walk and Talk group, hired a bus to take them to Point Plomer, where they set off on the beach back home.

retired school principal. The 15 kilometre walk was a breeze for the fit and healthy retired school principal.

The group includes, John Kaye, Joy Woodward, Christine Jilg, Cob Cobley, Peter Aitchison, Gerry Nagle, Sue Nagle, Margaret McCracken, Bill Darling, Ron Volleberg and Richard’s daughter Jan Grimmond.

He joined the Newcastle Bushwalkers in his late teens, straight after the war ended. He was recently an honoured guest at the club’s 70th year celebrations in 2015.

“We walk every Thursday and it keeps us all fit and healthy. You wouldn’t pick me for 90,” he said.

“I’ve been walking every week since I retired. I love it.”

He has walked extensively in the Barrington Tops, the Kosciusko National Park - before the Snowy Scheme was there – through Tasmania, in the Lamington National Park in Queensland, the Milford Track in New Zealand, and at age 65 years he walked in the Himalayas, and at 75 he rediscovered the Beckett’s Cataract, named by Oxley and lost for 185 years.

He walked with the Port Macquarie Adult Education Walking group for about 20 years and still walks with the Thursday Walking Group each week.

Richard attributes his health and physical fitness to being a non-smoker and non-drinker his entire life as well as his love for walking.