Allen Hall completed his teacher training in Dunedin, specialising in music and then served with the forces in the Pacific during World War II. He trained for the Methodist ministry, undertaking Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education and Philosophy. He worked for 20 years in the Solomon Islands, during which time he established a pastor-teacher training school.
Hall then moved into the field of Linguistics. He undertook research at the University of Queensland and worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators. He researched Aboriginal languages of North Queensland and gained a Master's degree and a PhD in Linguistics. Following this Hall worked as a linguist with the Queensland Department of Education and established the bi-lingual program at Pormpuraaw State School, Edward River. He compiled numerous readers and primers in the Aboriginal Thaayorre language and co-compiled an English-Roviana dictionary.
In retirement, Hall continued to work as a translator and writer. Although born in New Zealand, Hall took up Australian citizenship.
