David Campbell was born in 1915 at Ellerslie station, near Adelong, New South Wales. He was educated at home, at a preparatory school and at The King's School in Sydney before entering Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1935. After taking his B.A. in 1937, Cambell returned to Australia and joined the Royal Australian Air Force, serving until 1945. He then returned to one of his family's properties where he lived with his wife and two sons. Campbell published his first poems at Cambridge, but began to write seriously in the 1940s, publishing many poems in the Bulletin. His first book 'Speak With the Sun' was published in 1949, initiating a long career that saw more than fifteen books published in thirty years. In 1964 Campbell became poetry editor of 'The Australian' and also edited 'Australian Poetry 1966' and 'Modern Australian Poetry' (1970). David Campbell died in 1979.

Hugh Anderson, born in Elmore, Victoria, has had a long teaching and administrative career with the Victorian Education Department and has been one of Australia's most prolific writers. He has published over one hundred titles in Australian history, biography, literary criticism, folklore, folk song and balladry, and bibliography. In 1978 he set up his own publishing firm under the name of Red Rooster Press, specialising in history and folklore.