Gus Henderson was born in Sydney in 1950, and had a turbulent upbringing, much of it with his auntie and uncle. He says his schooling was forgettable. He joined the Army in 1967 but did not serve in Vietnam. He was married in 1974 and divorced in 1980. He met his current wife in 1980 and has six children and 17 grandchildren. He finalised his PhD in writing and is currently retired. His people are from around the Flinders Ranges in SA. Gus and his siblings grew up without any of his Aboriginal family and it has been a struggle over the years to construct a realistic heritage. As children, they were always told not to tell anybody.