George was born near the site of Lararra, east of Tjukurla in Western Australia. His first contact with Europeans was made through one of the welfare patrols led by Jeremy Long and Nosepeg Tjupurrula at a rock hole south of Kiwirrkura. After traveling in to Papunya he worked as both a fencer as well as a butcher in the Papunya kitchen. He commenced painting for Papunya Tula in 1976.
George´s father was also the father of Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi and Willy Tjungurrayi and although they had different mothers he considers them very close brothers. In 2004 George Ward Tjungurrayi won the Wynn  Prize for his topographic depiction of the Western Desert.