Bisley was born at Lake Munmorah, New South Wales and grew up on a small farm called Stillways.

After a few years of working in various jobs, he enrolled in the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating with a degree in acting in 1977.

Other actors in his class included Mel Gibson, Judy Davis, Debra Lawrance and Sally McKenzie.

[2] While still training at NIDA, Bisley and his friend Mel Gibson made their film debuts in Summer City (1977).

After this, Bisley played the lead role in the thriller The Chain Reaction (1980), with Mel Gibson making a brief appearance.

His other early film credits include roles in The Highest Honor (1983), The Winds of Jarrah (1983), Fast Talking (1984) and Silver City (1984).

In 1980, Bisley played Joe Byrne in The Last Outlaw, a critically acclaimed TV mini-series about Ned Kelly.

In 1998, he began to appear as a guest in Nine’s police drama series Water Rats, playing Detective Jack Christey.

His stage roles include parts in Ray Lawler's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1985/1995) and as Banjo Paterson in the musical theatre production of The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular (August–October 2002).

[11] In July 2013 while promoting his autobiography, Stillways: A Memoir, he described the assault as "a push and shove incident with high emotion displayed on both sides".