He was born in North Sydney to manufacturer Tom Johnstone Hudson and Edith Grace Dickison.
After the war he remained in the Citizen Military Forces, rising to the rank of major.
In 1964, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Liberal and Country Party member for Toorak.
He retired from his business career in 1975 and became chairman of the Victorian League for Commonwealth Friendship, a position he held until 1977.
During 1990-2000, he was president of the Barwon Heads branch of the Returned and Services League.