After appearing in numerous Crawford Productions police precedurals, he took the long term role in rural series Bellbird on the ABC, before starring in Number 96 as Jack Sellers.
[2] Oliver was born in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, England and started appearing in amateur theatricals as an adolescent in Britain before pursuing a career as a jockey.
However, the journey was halted by illness and Oliver returned to Britain where he contacted Albert Finney who was then planning to produce the film Ned Kelly in Australia in 1963.
[6] Oliver was then cast in serial Bellbird, playing the role of Tom Grey from 1969 to 1971, and appeared in the 1971 film Nickel Queen, directed by John McCallum.
In 1972 he joined the cast of fledgling soap opera Number 96 playing the role of Janie Somers' new beau, Jack Sellars.
In late 1973, along with much of the show's regular cast, he reprised his television role in a feature film spinoff of the serial, also called Number 96.
Through the late 1970s and the 1980s, Oliver appeared in guest and regular roles in many Australian drama series and serials, including Prisoner, Holiday Island, Cop Shop, Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice.
Oliver also acted on the stage in numerous productions, appearing in such plays as The Knack, Cactus Flower, How the Other Half Loves and The Club.
Oliver appeared in a documentary special celebrating the show's 30th anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.
During his run in Number 96, Oliver married fellow castmate Lynn Rainbow, who played Sonia Vansard, and opened a wine bar in Kensington, Sydney, named "Jack's Cellar".