Robert Newton is an award-winning author. His first work of fiction was young adult novel My Name is Will Thompson, published 2001. Newton's sixth novel, historical young adult fiction, The Black Dog Gang, was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards. Later, his novel When We Were Two, won the NSW Premier's Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction.
Newton is the son of an Army officer, and his family spent much of his childhood moving around Australia. He is based in Melbourne, Victoria, and also works as a firefighter for Metropolitan Fire Brigade.