Donald McDonald Mackay
Donald McDonald MacKay | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1845 Ben Mohr Estate, Snizort, Isle of Skye, Scotland |
| Died | 1904-01-30 Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoralist, legislator |
| Years active | 1869–1902 |
| Known for | Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for North Province (1896–1902) |
Donald McDonald MacKay (circa 1845 – 30 January 1904) was a notable Australian pastoralist and legislator who represented North Province in the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1896 until 1902.
Originating from Ben Mohr Estate in Snizort on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, MacKay was born to Samuel Nicholson Mackay and Janette Mackay (née McKinnon). His family relocated to South Australia in 1855, establishing themselves in Naracoorte. In 1869, MacKay moved to Western Australia where he secured a pastoral lease along the Maitland River within the Pilbara region. Together with his brother Roderick MacKay, he later expanded their holdings by developing Mundabullangana Station on the Yule River. Following a severe drought in 1892, he divested his properties in the North-West and settled in Fremantle. MacKay entered politics by winning a seat for North Province in the Legislative Council in 1896, taking over from Edward Robinson, and completed a single six-year term before stepping down. He passed away in Fremantle in 1904.
Family
On 21 February 1893, MacKay married (Emily) Charlotte Vincent at Scots Church in Fremantle, and the couple had three children.
His youngest sister was the writer Catherine Edith Macauley Martin. Another sibling, Donald Mackay (1832–1901), oversaw sheep grazing enterprises at Mundabullangana, Yule, and Benmore stations.