Mad dogs and Englishwomen

There's a saying about mad dogs and Englishmen, but one Englishwoman has braved much more than the midday sun to complete an epic ride for charity.

Anna Hingley, a 24-year-old adventurer, is believed to be the first woman to have crossed Australia from west to east on horseback.

Journey's end was in Cairns today, but it started out with a holiday romance.

They met in Darwin. She was an English tourist, he was a tour guide.

When they fell in love, they decided to do something crazy - ride right across Australia on brumbies which they had trained themselves.

Three thousand kilometres and four months later, Ms Hingley and her boyfriend John Ostwald made the crossing, relationship in tact.

"As you can imagine we've faced lots of different climates, different terrain, different challenges along the way," she said.

"So it's been just an all-round amazing adventure."

Ms Hingley is believed to be the first woman to cross Australia on horseback.

"She's awesome, incredible, very determined, very tough," says Mr Ostwald.

Her family, including mother Marlene and sister Lucy, had flown from Worcestershire to cheer the end of a long and tricky ride.

"Very proud, emotional and excited," said Mrs Hingley.

"You've done it girl... you've done it and I'm just absolutely over the moon for them."

Lucy says it is all a bit unbelievable.

"It's just surreal really," she said, "something you'd see in a film."

Along the way the couple raised thousands of dollars for Angel Flight, a charity that organises non-essential medical trips for people in the bush.

The couple's trip is also being turned into a documentary.