Barry Townsend was born in Brisbane in 1948. At the age of twelve he accompanied his mother when she took a position for as a cook on Cooinda an 80,000 acre sheep property at Winton in Central Queensland. After completing high school he returned to Cooinda as a jackaroo. He later worked with cattle on other properties throughout outback Queensland and New South Wales for several years.
Living in the outback and experiencing the will and determination of the people, who everyday make the best of what is dealt to them has played a huge part in the motivation to put his stories to paper.
Barry became interested in boxing and won an amatuer Queensland Golden Gloves Championship before settling back in Brisbane to fight twenty-one professional bouts.
Werna Creek is his first manuscript and the main locations are where he spent his early working life. His second manuscript Where the Penny Falls is a prequel to Werna Creek and is scheduled for rerelease in 2020.
He currently lives a comfortable rural lifestyle with his wife Debra in Mount French four kilometres southwest of Boonah.