David Cox was born and reared in country Queensland. He worked as a jackaroo on outback sheep and cattle stations before enrolling, at 21, at St Martins School of Art in London. Back in Australia he became a newspaper artist, winning a Walkley Award, while also illustrating and writing many award-winning children's books, including four CBCA-shortlisted titles. In fact, he become one of Australia's most prolific book illustrators, with over 30 books published.

In 2007, David won the Dame Annabelle Rankin Award for distinguished services to Children's Literature in Queensland. He released two companion titles to The Road to Goonong: The Fair Dinkum War, recalling his childhood during WWII; and Good Enough for a Sheep Station, exploring his life as a stockman. In 2020, David's book with writer Ella Holcombe about the Victorian Black Saturday fires, The House on the Mountain, was shortlisted for the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature's Children's Literature Award.

David works from his home studio in Brisbane, and one of his hobbies is singing. He is coached by his wife, pianist/composer, Betty Beath. Betty and David have written music theatre pieces about St Francis of Assisi, and David regularly acts as cantor at St Phillips Church, which is attached to a Franciscan friary.