Dunedin-born author, photographer and study tour leader, Neville is one of New Zealand's leading nature writers with over 30 titles to his credit. He is co-author of the "Wild" series, of which Wild Dunedin was a Montana Book Awards winner.

Neville is Deputy Chairperson of the Otago Regional Council and has previously chaired the Biodiversity Committee. In 1994 he was voted Dunedin Citizen of the Year in recognition of his photographic books on Dunedin and promotion of environmentally sound practices in the business sector.

In June 2007, Neville was awarded the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers' Fellowship to write a major work on the Tasman Sea. The Fellowship, valued at $100,000, is New Zealand's largest literary award, and supports established writers to work on a major project over two or more years. Neville described the award as "an uplifting honour."

Neville is a fifth generation descendant of Otago's Scottish settlers and continues to live and work on the Otago peninsula.