Douglas Carnegie was the scion of a family whose fortune derived from a piano manufacturing company. He grew up in Melbourne and in 1941 joined the AIF, when dispatched to the Middle East, he became one of the Rats of Tobruk. His army career was effectively ended when he contracted spinal meningitis and was repatriated to Australia on a hospital ship. On his recovery, doctors advised him to live in the country and in 1944 he purchased the 1000-hectare property, Kildrummie. Here he became legendary for his bloodline of bred poll hereford cattle in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1979 the Carnegies sold the cattle station and moved back to Melbourne where Douglas supported the many activities of his wife Margaret, a major collector of Aboriginal art. He became an honorary consultant of Lincoln Gerontology Centre of Latrobe University, actively volunteering to visit numerous hospitals taking up the challenge for occupations for the elderly. He died on 6 February 1998.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Sir Roderick Carnegie 2003
© Estate of Mark Strizic
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