He completed his early education in New Zealand before his family migrated to New South Wales, whereafter he attended state schools.

He spent time as a shearer in New South Wales and Victoria before returning to New Zealand and entering the printing trade.

[1][2][3][4] MacDonald later returned to Australia and worked as a journalist at The Argus and then The Age in Melbourne, including a stint in the parliamentary press gallery.

He was involved in campaigning against the conscription referendums of Billy Hughes, but in 1918 was one of 12 newspaper editors selected by the Nationalist Party government to visit the World War I front.

He died in office in 1937 after suffering reported "heart trouble" and was cremated at Mount Thompson Crematorium.