With a background that included Yugoslav, Scottish and English heritage, Jude Aquilina grew up in Magill, South Australia. She matriculated at Norwood High School and has worked at various jobs, from Singing Telegrams to Telecom. She married Daniel Aquilina in 1987 and it was after the birth of their two children that she began writing poetry. Later she began to write short fiction. She has worked part time in a music shop, has worked in mixed media performance groups such as Stagefright and Catapult, and has read at a number of venues. Daniel, who is a pianist, often provides musical accompaniment to her poetry. She lived at Cudlee Creek in the Adelaide Hills, taught poetry and creative writing in schools and to adult groups, and served as a mentor for young poets.