[1] McCarthy grew up on a farm in Homewood, Victoria,[2] and was initially an art teacher in Victorian secondary schools before transitioning into film.
[3][4] She partnered with Chris Warner to start Trout Films, and produced films such as Eating Your Heart Out, a documentary about eating disorders.
[5][6] She co-wrote In Between, a TV drama series for SBS, before adapting it into books.
[7][8][6] McCarthy continued to write for TV series such as Ocean Girl and Lift Off.
[9][4] Her books focus on young adults and have been shortlisted for numerous awards.