He was the main connection between the tunnels and a group of reporters who were trying to find out what happened to a number of missing people.

That is part of the story in a new Australian thriller, The Tunnel, inspired by the vanishing NSW government proposal to use the flooded tunnel, known as Lake St James, to help with water shortage issues in the city a couple of years ago.

Dubbo-born James Caitlin plays Trevor Jones in the film.

He will begin filming this week.

“I was born in Dubbo in 1959,” he told the Daily Liberal.

“I lived just near the (LH Ford) bridge.

“We left Dubbo when I was three when my parents were looking for work.”

Mr Caitlin’s mother grew up in Bourke before moving to Dubbo.

"I still have a lot of family in Dubbo,” he said.

“I’m related to some of the Watts, Roffs and Barbers.

“Dubbo’s a great town ... You walk down the main street and end up getting home two hours later because you see so many people you know.”

Mr Caitlin said he remembered his mother telling him stories about the floods in Dubbo when he was younger.

“She said you could (row) a boat down the streets.”

Mr Caitlin said his character Trevor used to live in the tunnel and was the only survivor after an attack on homeless people who lived underground.

“I’m seriously growing a beard right now for this part ... I just did a teaser for a science fiction film and had to shave it off, so I’m growing it back now,” he said.

“I’m in my 50s now so everything’s grey.”

The story goes that in 2007, the State government suddenly scrapped a plan to utilise the water in the disused underground train tunnels beneath Sydney’s St James station.

“In 2008, chasing rumours of a government cover-up and urban legends surrounding the sudden backflip, investigative journalist Natasha Warner led a crew of four into the underground labyrinth,” a blurb on The Tunnel website said.

“They went down into the tunnels looking for a story - until the story found them.”

www.thetunnelmovie.net