Laughton was born on 7 February 1927 on a rocky outcrop on the edge of the Todd River in Alice Spring to Simon Rieff, a Russian miner, and a local Aboriginal woman whose name is not recorded. As a toddler he was taken from his mother, who he wouldn't see again till he was in his 20s, and was sent to The Bungalow, which was then at the Jay Creek site. When he was five The Bungalow moved to the Telegraph Station site and he walked, with a group, the 48 km distance from one to another.[1]
Laughton started his music careers while at The Bungalow, following inspiration from country singer Tex Morton, who visited when he was just ten years old and his upbringing here inspired his song "Old Bungalow Days" and the history of Central Australia, more generally, became one of the main themes of his music.[1]
Laughton lived at The Bungalow until the age of fifteen when he went to work on various stations throughout the Territory.[1]
