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By Peter Simon
Xavier , a pharmacist, had worked as a railway fettler at Adelaide River ,where he came in contact with Tom Flynn, Tom the Ganger in Capricornia, Herbert's l938 Sesqui-Centenary Award winning novel , based on the Northern Territory . Flynn's wife, Nellie, who died at the age of 101, also figured in the novel.
As Xavier walked about Adelaide River recalling his time there in the l920s , the cover was found on the ground, which delighted him ,causing colourful comment . A nearby old railway siding impressed Xavier, who said he had in mind writing about an Aboriginal Ned Kelly, hiding in a place like that, making occasional raids on the surrounding country .
We visited the old Zapapan mine about which Xavier wrote . Thoughout our trip he supplied me with fabulous background information , numerous anecdotes .
During his time in the Territory he ran Darwin's Kahlin Compound , worked at the hospital , was a wharfie , closely associated with the Chinese and Japanese communities. He also gathered ideas for his extensive writing while working as a dispenser in the Solomons .
The illegitimate son of a railway man , railways and railway men often featured in Herbert's literary output. It was said that when he wanted to get rid of a character in a story , he had them run down by a train . He lived near the Redlynch railway station , Cairns , with his wife , Sadie .
