Robert Newton, the son of an Army officer, spent his childhood moving to different postings around Australia. Six schools later, including a stint in Singapore, his family finally settled in Melbourne. After finishing school, Robert spent the next few years studying at university, travelling and trying his hand at various jobs. Fifteen years ago, he decided to join the Metropolitan Fire Brigade as a full-time fire fighter. In his days off he gave up sleeping when he discovered the magic of writing.
To date, Robert has written five teenage novels which have been widely praised for their ability to combine humour with serious issues. He lives in Melbourne with his wife and two daughters.