Tony Ayres quickly gained attention upon graduating from film school with a succession of internationally awarded television drama scripts. He was equally successful as a writer/director of documentary, again winning major international awards for his work. His feature debut, Walking on Water, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2002, and went on to collect a swag of awards including the prestigious Teddy Award for Best Gay/Lesbian Film at Berlin and five accolades at the AFI Awards, Australia's equivalent of the Independent Spirit Awards.

Ayres' next feature as writer/director, The Home Song Stories, starring Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, Heaven & Earth) has earned Tony the following awards: the AFI Award for Best Direction and Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted), the FCCA Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, the Golden Horse Film Festival Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Feature Film at the Hawaii International Film Festival, and the IF Award for Best Director.

Ayres is currently working as producer on the ABC TV series Bogan Pride.