After emigrating to Australia during the Victorian gold rush, McIntyre became heavily involved in the mining industry around Bendigo in Victoria.

Later as he began to rise in prominence he became involved in local politics, eventually becoming the first mayor of Bendigo, a post he held for five years before resigning.

In the years following he became heavily involved in community work, serving as a territorial magistrate and children's guardian for the Bendigo district.

Educated at South End Academy, he began a medical course at the University of Glasgow but did not complete this course, deciding instead to emigrate to Australia in 1852.

[1] McIntyre came to Australia after reports of significant gold discoveries and in 1852 he arrived at Portland, Victoria aboard the Runnymede.

[1] McIntyre made one campaign for election as a Victorian Free Trade Party Senate candidate to the Parliament of Australia in December 1903, but he was not successful, missing out on a seat by less than 600 votes.

[8] In Bendigo McIntyre took a special interest in the local hospital, serving as honorary secretary and later as a trustee.

However, in this period, he still found time for involvement in "things Scottish", playing the role of Bailie Nicol Jarvie in the Royal Caledonian Society's October 1903 production of "Rob Roy".