Born in Wigtownshire to Samuel McCulloch and his wife Helen, née McWhinnie, he arrived in Melbourne in 1852 and successfully mined for gold at Mount Alexander.
[8] He acquired pastoral property around 1870 and bred "Bates tribe" shorthorn cattle, starting by importing the English bull "Rapid" in 1873, many more in 1879.
He was chosen as the representative of the State of Victoria for the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and arrived in London in late May 1902.
While in the United Kingdom, McCulloch acted as Agent-General for Victoria (the incumbent had died the previous March), and also took time to visit Scotland and Ireland.
[17] On 9 July 1897 his second daughter Helen Mary married Colonel H. A. Eagar ( – ca.18 February 1900),[18] who died of injuries sustained at Stormberg during the Boer War.
[20] Son Colin Christison McCulloch was owner and trainer of Lieutenant Bill, winner of the 1902 Caulfield Cup.