Charles Mackellar

Sir Charles Kinnaird Mackellar (5 December 184414 July 1926) was an Australian politician and surgeon. He served in the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1885 to 1925, with the exception of a period of 50 days in 1903 when he filled a casual vacancy in the Senate. He was the father of poet and writer Dorothea Mackellar.

Early life Charles Mackellar was born in Sydney, the only son of Dr Frank Mackellar (a physician from Dundee, Scotland), and his wife, Isabella (née Robertson; widow of William McGarvie). Charles was educated at Sydney Grammar School and then moved to Port Macquarie district. After leaving school had spent several years working on the land. he studied at the University of Glasgow, graduated MB and Ch.M. in 1871.

Political career

Mackellar resigned from his offices in August 1885, He was vice-president of the Executive Council in the ministry of Sir Patrick Jennings from 26 February to 23 December 1886, and then Secretary for Mines until the government was defeated on 19 January 1887. and created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1916.

He married in 1877, Marion, daughter of Thomas Buckland, who survived him with two sons and a daughter, Dorothea Mackellar, who became a famous poet and prose-writer.

Mackellar's health and memory started to decline from 1923 and he died at Sydney, on 14 July 1926; he was buried in the Anglican section of Waverley Cemetery.