Born in the USA, Philip Hammial migrated to Australia in 1972 and became an Australian citizen in 1992. After serving with the US Navy for three years he completed a BA with Honours in English Literature and Philosophy at Ohio University.

His poems have been included in many Australian poetry anthologies, in Australian literary magazines and newspapers and in literary magazines in Egypt, France, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S. As a recipient of a Category A Writer's Fellowship in 1996, Hammial went on a reading tour of Japan. In 2000 he represented Australia at three overseas poetry festivals: Poetry Africa 2000 in Durban; the Franco-Anglais Festival of Poetry in Paris; and The World Festival of Poets in Tokyo.

Hammial is a not only a poet but a painter and sculptor as well, and in addition to his poetry publications, Hammial has held over twenty-five solo art exhibitions and has participated in over fifty group exhibitions. He has been Director and Co-founder of the Australian Collection of Outsider Art. Since 1979 (except for a break in publication 1988-1992) he has been editor of Island Press.

Apart from his artistic endeavours, Hammial has participated in a number of political and environmental groups and has been a member of the Woodford Bush Fire Brigade.