Kris Hemensley was born of an Egyptian mother and an English father. He first visited Australia as an 18 year-old and later returned permanently on an assisted passage. Hemensley became involved with the Melbourne New Theatre, then moved to La Mama where he conducted poetry workshops during 1968-1970.
From 1969 to 1970 he conducted the program Kris Hemensley's Melbourne on ABC Radio and from 1978 to 1981 he was Melbourne commentator on ABC Radio's Books and Writing program. In 1973 Hemensley was awarded a Young Writer's Fellowship and in 1986 he was writer-in-residence at Hawthorn Community House.
Hemensley has been a member of International PEN and of the Victorian Writer's Centre. Hemensley edited several literary magazines in England and Australia that included Our Glass (edited 1968-1969), Earth Ship (1970-1972). He edited a second series of Earth Ship, titled The Ear in a Wheatfield (1972-1976), a third, titled The Merri Creek or Nero (1981-1984), and selection, The Best of the Ear. He was poetry editor of Meanjin 1976-1978. His own publications of poetry, drama, prose and children's books have been prolific and he has been very active in the Australian literary scene.
For many years Hemensley has run the poetry bookshop, Collected Works on Swanston St, Melbourne.
Australian Poetry Library Author Entry