Walter was born just south of Uluṟu, some time around 1930. The place where he was born is associated with the , and so the " (brushtail possum) is his personal totem. Walter grew up living a traditional way of life in the bush with his family. When he was a young man, he went to live at the mission in Ernabella, South Australia. He worked there with sheep, as a shepherd and shearer. He got married to Topsy Tjulyata, and the couple moved to Amaṯa. During the 1980s, Walter served as the Pitjantjatjara representative on the Aboriginal Arts Board (AAB). He lobbied the board for money to support art and crafts in Amaṯa. As a result, the craft centre at Amaṯa was established in February 1981.