▁work ▁as ▁a ▁journalist ▁on ▁the ▁Pr eston ▁Her ald . ▁He ▁later ▁spent ▁some ▁time ▁in ▁To led o , ▁Ohio , ▁U . S ., ▁where ▁he ▁spent ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁lect uring ▁on ▁evolution ▁and ▁the ▁occ ult . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁tou red ▁through ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁England ▁and ▁South ▁Africa , ▁lect uring ▁on ▁spiritual ism ▁and ▁politics . ▁While ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁he ▁married ▁And ri etta ▁Maria ▁Som ers , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁two ▁sons ▁and ▁two ▁daughters . ▁ ▁Walker ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 , ▁sp ending ▁some ▁time ▁in ▁Victoria ▁before ▁sett ling ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁prominent ▁public ▁figure ▁through ▁his ▁political ▁lect ures , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁argued ▁for ▁sec ular ism ▁and ▁an ▁immediate ▁separation ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁from ▁England . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁prominent ▁role ▁in ▁a ▁meeting ▁held ▁to ▁discuss ▁British ▁government ▁policy ▁towards ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Islands , ▁and ▁shortly ▁afterwards ▁he ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁oppos ing ▁the ▁deployment ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁Sud an . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁Walker ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁seat ▁of ▁North umber land ▁as ▁a ▁Prote ction ist . ▁He ▁continued ▁to ▁push ▁for ▁separation ▁from ▁England , ▁helping ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁short - l ived