As in all good novels, the expected happens and a pregnant Lola and a bewildered Brownie are driven out of 1950s Bundaberg.

Criena Rohan used Bundaberg as part of the setting for her 1962 novel The Delinquents, upon which the movie starring Kylie Minogue was based.

The Oxford Literay Guide to Australia contains accounts of the locations that were celebrated by our poets, playwrights, novelists and journalists, and of where they lived, worked, drank and are buried.

The entry for Bundaberg is not very lengthy but it reveals the literary heritage of our city.

Novelist, critic, historian and nationalist Vance Palmer was born in Bundaberg on August 28 1885 when his father was headmaster at Gooburrum State School. Palmer and wife Nettie were significant 20th century literary figures, both playing key roles in the development and promotion of an Australian literary ethos.

Bundaberg was host to Henry Ernest Boote from 1894 to 1896. He was sent by the Australian Labour Federation to edit the Bundaberg Guardian, a twice-weekly paper noted for its keen opposition to the employment of Pacific Island labour in the sugar industry. Boote was a lively editorialist and determined advocate. He later edited the Australian Worker, the official organ of the Australian Workers Union for nearly 30 years, and produced several novels and numerous political pamphlets.

Journalist and author, George Etienne Loyau, edited several district newpapers and wrote The History of Maryborough. He died in Bundaberg in 1898 of apoplexy.

Students of my generation may recall Mary Hannay Foott who wrote the much recited Where the Pelican Builds. In 1912, her younger son, Arthur joined the Bundaberg Mail.

Ronald McKie grew up here and used the town as the setting for his novel The Mango Tree, which was also filmed. Other local authors have had their works published in recent times, but that is for another article.

I must end with Bill Scott who was born here in 1923. Bill is an award winning children's novelist, anthologist, folklorist, balladist and historian. Bill is the author of the much neglected Bundaberg Rum song. It should be our local drinking song and available at all good bottle shops.

To quote the chorus: Bundaberg Rum, overproof rum. Will tan your insides and grow hair on your bum.

It works for the polar bear so I'll drink to that.