Born in the Irishtown precinct of Queanbeyan on 30 August 1905,[1] McCauley started his working life as a bricklayer.
[1] Prior to World War II, McCauley established the Canberra/ACT Bricklayers Union, taking on the role of Secretary.
[2][4][5] McCauley was selected by the BWIU to lead and attend international delegations, including one in 1964 to the then Soviet Union.
[11] McCauley also identified the need for a dedicated trade union building and a community and social club for workers and their families, in an era when women and children did not generally go to pubs.
He single-handedly raised funds[1] and arranged for the Federal office of the BWIU guarantee a loan to develop and build the Tradesmen's Union Club in Dickson.