Tommy Carroll was born on Doon Doon Station, 100 kilometres north of Warmun Community. His bush name is Balabany. As a young boy he worked as a stockman at Doon Doon and throughout his youth he also worked on Bow River and Lissadell Stations. He also used to assist the Outstation Manager at Warmun Community.
Carroll commenced painting in late 1999, inspired to do so by his wife, Katie Cox, another emerging Warmun artist. He says that painting makes him think about his "Country", the Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming) stories and the places he used to visit as a child. Carroll’s works are often dark and brooding. He uses heavy concentrations of black charcoal and red natural ochres. The majority of his paintings derives from stories near or around Doon Doon Station, and primarily stories associated with the Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming).