The 80-year-old retired Bamawm farmer was in Pemberton, 335 kilometres south of Perth, yesterday when he announced the end of his 13-month, 1200 km trek.

Mr Tripovich was forced to pull out of the journey because his wife, Jan, was troubled by illness.

"It's a pity we couldn't finish, but Jan needs me," he said.

"She is not well, and it is a long-term thing, so I have decided to pull out of the walk.

"That's how things happen; you have to put your loved ones first.

"I am sure I could've finished the journey, because I know the worst was already behind me."

Mr Tripovich and his travelling companion, Ray Price, yesterday began the drive from Pemberton to the Queensland town of Calliope where Jan has lived for the past 13 months while her husband walked around Australia.

The octogenarian's charity walk helped raise about $22,000 for International Children's Care, which will be used to support children in Third World countries.

ICC program director Merilyn Beveridge said Mr Tripovich was an incredibly generous benefactor.

"He's just a really amazing hero.

"I don't know of anyone else with the tenacity and compassion that Peter has.

"He phoned me yesterday, and was very apologetic, but I said to him `don't say sorry to us'.

"We are sorry for Peter. We are sorry that his wife is unwell and we are sorry that he wasn't quite able to achieve his dream.

"I have no doubt he would've been able to make it if this hadn't happened."

ICC held a big party for Mr Tripovich in Perth last month to coincide with his birthday and the first anniversary of the start of his trip.

Ms Beveridge said the organisation would now scrap plans to celebrate Mr Tripovich's return to Melbourne, which was expected to happen in September.

Instead, he plans to fly down from Queensland in the next couple of months to catch up with friends in the Bamawm area and discuss with ICC how the money he raised will be spent.

"We've got plenty of projects that it could go towards, including water projects in India and housing projects in Sri Lanka," Ms Beveridge said.

"We will sit down with Peter when the opportunity presents itself and have a chat about where he would like to see the money go."

Although reluctant to promote himself, Mr Tripovich was the subject of considerable media attention as his walk progressed.

He appeared in countless newspapers, did a number of radio and television interviews and even appeared on Channel Seven's Today Tonight program.

Mr Tripovich said his journey had taught him a lot about Australia.

"It's difficult to single out one highlight of the walk.

"For me, the highlight was just seeing the country, meeting so many friendly, generous and hospitable people and being able to raise so much money for ICC.

"It has given me a greater appreciation of Australia and the people who live here.

"A lot of people go overseas to resorts in Fiji or Bali, or somewhere like that, but they haven't really seen their own country.

"Australia has so much to offer."

Mr Tripovich had only lived in Bamawm, north of Bendigo, for a few years before embarking on his walk.

Although the farmer has kept a low profile in the district, locals have been following his progress.

Campaspe Shire western ward councillor Ian Maddison said the shire would consider recognising the man's efforts when he eventually returned to the area.