He attended Golden Square Primary School and Kangaroo Flat Secondary College in Bendigo.

He worked in auto part wholesaling and packaging industries.

He was a trade union official, small business proprietor and researcher and adviser to the Victorian Leader of the Opposition, John Brumby, before entering politics.

[citation needed] First elected to represent the Bendigo electorate in 1998, he was re-elected in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.

In August 2011, Gibbons announced his intention to retire from parliament at the next election.