Robert Hannaford was born and bred in rural South Australia 1944. After 3 years as the political cartoonist on the 'Adelaide Advertiser' in the mid 60's he has made his living from painting and sculpture. He lived in Ballarat 1967 - 68 where he attended the School of Mines. He lived in Melbourne from 1969 - 73 where he was the inaugural winner of the AME Bale residential art scholarship.
He has lived in country South Australia, Adelaide and Sydney 2001 where he was artist-in-residence at Sydney Grammar School.
He has travelled and worked in India, Europe and Africa.
He now lives and works with his wife, artist Alison Mitchell, in a restored farmhouse near Riverton South Australia. His other interests include indigenous culture (Ngadjuri), propagating endemic plants and gardening. He is a founding member of the Bushland Conservation Company and Hester's Conservation Company.
