Ross Clark is the elder child of Colin Clark and Maisie (nee Burley). The family lived in small communities where his father was teaching until 1963, when they moved to Brisbane. Clark attended Mt Gravatt State High School (1966-70) and the University of Queensland (BA Engl Hons 1974; Dip Ed 1975). He was a secondary teacher between 1975 and 1997, with intervals as educational editor/journalist, writer-in-residence, and freelance writer. Since then he has worked at a variety of casual jobs, including sessional teaching at the University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology, from 2000. He has had a few academic papers published.

Clark has frequently given live performances of his poetry, both as a solo performer and with his trio, 'The Bodgie Bards'. Clark was editor and publisher of the SweetWater Poets series and one of the editors/publishers of The Border Issue (1980-1985) to which he also contributed. He has co-edited Paper Wasp: a journal of Haiku (1994-). He writes short stories as Rhys Burley Clark, children's and teens' poetry as Ashley Clarkson. In 1976 Clark married Vicki Turner-Jones (d 1990), the sister of Jan Turner-Jones (q.v). Clark has two daughters (born in 1977 and 1980).

Clark has engaged in various roles in cultural life, including membership of the Warana Writers' Week Committee (1986-1995) and the Queensland Poetry Festival Committee (2004-05).