George Henry Johnston was born in Melbourne and spent his childhood in the family home in Elsternwick[2] and was educated in local secondary schools before taking up an apprenticeship as a lithographer.
In 1951 Albert Arlen tried to engage Johnston's services as writer of his musical The Sentimental Bloke, but he was not interested.
[3] Johnston abandoned his journalism career in 1954 and moved with Clift to the Greek island of Hydra, where he began writing full-time and took part in the island's circle of international artists, including Canadian poet Leonard Cohen and Scandinavian novelists Axel Jensen and Göran Tunström.
He was the father of four children, daughters Gae (with his first wife Elsie Esme Taylor), and Shane, and two sons: Jason and the poet Martin Johnston.
George Johnston was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970 for services to literature.