Rob Hirst was born in Camden, New South Wales. As a founding member of internationally successful band Midnight Oil, he wrote and co-wrote the words and melodies of numerous classic Australian songs, including 'Beds Are Burning', 'The Dead Heart', 'Best of Both Worlds', 'Forgotten Years', 'Kosciusko' and many more. Rob's singing, songwriting, drumming and guitar can also be heard on his many collaborations – with The Backsliders, The Ghostwriters and The Break, Paul Greene, Jay O'Shea, Lez Karski, Sean Sennett, Jim Moginie and Hamish Stuart. He was also a published author: Willie's Bar and Grill (Picador) tells the story of his band touring a shell-shocked America in the months after 9/11. Rob lived, wrote and recorded in Sydney before his death in early 2026.
