Cornthwaite reached the finishing line after almost five months

Dave Cornthwaite, 27, reached Brisbane the end of his marathon 3,638 miles (5,820 km) foot-propelled trek in Brisbane early on Monday.

In five months boarding across the continent, Cornthwaite has become an unlikely celebrity Down Under.

After crossing the finishing line to a rapturous reception, he said he was "elated but exhausted".

He said: "I've not really had any time to myself to really realise what has happened.

Cornthwaite only started skateboarding in March 2005, commuting to his job as a graphic designer in Swansea.

It's an unusual idea but the Australian people see this normal bloke like me pushing myself to the limit for good causes Dave Cornthwaite

But the craze soon got to him and he gave up his nine-to-five job to raise money for charity.

He first skateboarded the length of Britain - from Land's End to John O'Groats

On Monday more than 200 well wishers the British High Commissioner to welcome Cornthwaite on his battered skateboard Elsa across the finishing line.

His Australian marathon started out in Perth, Western Australia on 30 August last year.

Since then he has skateboarded through Adelaide, along the scenic Great Ocean Road, through Melbourne in Victoria and Sydney in New South Wales to finally reach Brisbane.

Along the way he has smashed the record for a skateboard journey, set in 2003 by an American who skated 4,830 km.

During his Australian journey Cornthwaite has notched up an average of 40 miles (60 km) a day and so far raised �16,400 for three children's charities.

He has set up a website charting his trek and aims to reach �50,000 eventually.

Cornthwaite skateboarded an average of 40 miles (60 km) each day. Enlarge Image

During his voyage he has become so well known with the Australian public that even coach travellers would wave when they overtook him and his board.

After crossing the finishing line, he said; "Since the end of August I've just been so focused on reaching Brisbane and now I've finally done it, I can't quite believe it.

"Since I started in Perth it really has snowballed as I travelled across the country, and it could only have happened in Australia.

"It's an unusual idea but the Australian people see this normal bloke like me pushing myself to the limit for good causes and they've run with it."

The skateboard said crossing Australia's vast Nullarbor Plain was one of his greatest challenges.

He said he was now looking forward to the day he was able to walk without the pain of "more blisters than most people get in their lifetime."

Cornthwaite now plans to write a book but he also said Australia will not be his last adventure.