Born in Wales, Bruce Whatley migrated to Australia with his parents in 1959 living in both Adelaide and Whyalla before returning to the United Kingdom in 1969 for further study. Whatley worked in London as an art director and illustrator from 1975 to 1980 and then re-settled in Australia, basing himself in Sydney. In 1995 Whatley moved again, this time to the USA where he took up work with HarperCollins. He later returned to Australia and settled at Berry on the south coast of New South Wales.
Whatley collaborated on many children's works with Rosie Smith (q.v.).
Whatley is the father of Ben Smith Whatley (q.v.).
Major source: The Dromkeen Book: Australian Children's Illustrators, compiled by Susan Scobie