Kate Lilley was born in Perth, Western Australia and moved to Sydney with her family. She is the daughter of writers Dorothy Hewett and Merv Lilley.

After studying at the University of Sydney she completed a PhD at University of London on masculine elegy.

Lilley published her first volume of poems, Versary, in 2002 and currently lectures at The University of Sydney. She is the editor of The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish (Penguin Classics, 1994).

Lilley has a "featured cameo" as Vera Newby in the film The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.

Poetry

• Versary. (Salt, 2002) ISBN 1876857153 review

Edited

• Margaret Cavendish The Blazing World and other Writings. (Penguin, 1994)