Ray Dearness was born in Townsville in Far North Queensland.  His family moved to Melbourne when Ray was 10 years old.  He left Footscray Technical School at 14 and has been involved in many kinds of employment since, including car mechanic, taxi driver, some time in the police force, and owned and ran boarding kennels.  He also spent three years living in New Zealand.  Ray moved to Caveat ten years ago where he lives with his guinea fowls and goats.  He began writing poetry in the 1960s when he had a girlfriend, who was a schoolteacher living in Mildura.  She suggested he write limericks to her instead of letters.  His poetry is usually humorous and about events that actually happen.  He is currently writing about local identities in the Highlands Caveat area.