The story of her family's history, beginning with the mid-19th century migration from Ireland, is presented by Durack in Kings in Grass Castles, and its sequel, Sons in the Saddle.

The collaboration was to produce a number of children's books: Chunuma in 1936; Son of Djaro and the Way of the Whirlwind in 1940–1941;The Magic Trumpet in 1946 and To Ride a Fine Horse (1963).

Mary Durack wrote under the name "Virgilia" for The Western Mail between 1934 and 1938, in a column for women and children in rural areas called Virgilians' Friendly Corner.

The column represented some of the first work Durack published as a paid writer, however, she felt limited by the demands of her readers and would often hide in her office to avoid meeting with fans of 'The Corner'.

[7] Her literary works include the editing of The Fifth Sparrow (1972), a posthumously published autobiography of the Western Australian author Mollie Skinner.

They had two sons and four daughters, including Robin Miller, a famous aviator and nurse who was known as "The Sugarbird Lady" after her work fighting polio.