Duncan McRAE b. ca 1805, son of Farquhar McRAE and Isabella McKENZIE arrived in Victoria by 1840. He held pastoral runs at "Merino Plains" in 1840, "Glenorchy" 1841, "Glenlivet" 1843-1859, "Sinclair" 1847-1849, "Pleasant Hills" 1848-1849 & "Glenaulin No 1" 1852-1860.

Duncan McRAE was a brother of Alexander McRAE of "Glenlivet" Station, Merino/Grassdale and Murdoch McRAE of "Ardgarton" Station, Digby and Annabella McKENZIE (nee McRAE) of NSW and "Glenaulin" station, Drik Drik, Victoria.

Information from Judith Wills

Duncan and his family are very interesting, some of this information is family stories from various sources.

Janet McRAE arrived in Melbourne on 24 Dec., 1839, from Hobart aboard "Wallaby" and was the daughter of John McRAE of Abysinnia, Van Diemen's Land. Some of the family think she was a cousin of her husband Duncan but we haven't proven this yet.

Duncan was born in Scotland and with his brothers Farquhar, Alexander and John owned a trading brig and schooner in Scotland. It seems he did not go to Cape Breton with others in the family but went to Tasmania on "Northumberland", arriving in Sept., 1836. He also managed a property in Northern Tasmania for three years. Duncan visited Port Phillip in Dec., 1839. Then, in partnership with Alexander ROSE of "Cara Lynn", near Launceston, he shipped 800 sheep and supplies to Portland Bay in 1840 and took up land in the Wannon country, adjoining that occupied by the Hentys. He paid his licence before the Hentys and thus thought to have become the first legal squatter in the area.

From the "Port Phillip Gazette", 1849, page 147.
"Leases Granted.
No. 198 - Duncan McRAE. Name of Run, "Glenlivet. Estimated Area, 5300 acres. Estimated Grazing Capacity, 500 head cattle - 4000 sheep. Bounded on the east by the station of Messrs. George and Samuel WINTER and the Messrs. COLDHAM: on the south by Messrs. McLEAN and McRAEs station: on the west by A. ROSEs station, and on the north by Francis HENTYs station: all the boundaries being settled or determined lines.
No. 199 - Duncan McRAE. Name of Run, "Pleasant Hill". Estimated area, 12000 acres. Estimated Grazing Capacity, 5000 sheep. Bounded by H. MUNRO on the south by a line running ENE 3.3/4 miles: by Duncan McINTYRE on the east by a line running north by west 3 miles 3 chains: by COLDHAM Brothers on the east by a line running north west 6 chain: by Duncan McRAE by a line running west by 1 mile by Alexander ROSE by a line running west 3 mile: by James CRAWFORD by a line running south west 3 miles: by the same south east by east 2 mile: by the same by line running south east by south 1 mile and 7 chains."
No. 200 - Duncan McRAE. Name of Run, "Sinclair" or "Hunter Creek". Estimated area, 16240. Estimated Grazing Capacity, 12 head cattle, 2000 sheep. Bounded on the south by the Fitz Hoy River to large heath, the heath on the west; a line bearing north west to Mt. Gambier Road, from thence a line bearing about north east crossing the Glenelg and Smoky Rivers to top of Mt. Eckersley Range; along the top of the range a line bearing nearly southeast to a large swamp, near Mt. Eckersley, then on the east by said swamp and water course to Fitzroy Riber, about 3.1/2 miles above Edgars Bridge, the watercourse the boundary with Mr. SCOTT."

Re the children:- "The McRAE brothers Alexander, Farquhar, Jack (John), Duncan, George and Roderick, arrived in the North-West of W.A. on 1864 and later. They had pastoral property and store at Roebourne and some had pearling luggers. Alexander was a member of Parliament, M.L.C. of W.A. John, Alexander and Duncan were pearlers. John had a station as well."

Because of the tradition Scottish families had of naming children after other family members quite a few of them had nicknames to distinguish between them. Duncan was frequently spoken of as "Real" Duncan.

Duncan b.12 Nov. 1804, Kintail, SCT., d. 5 Jan. 1889, bur. 7 Jan. 1889, Family Plot in Old Ballarat Cemetery. Married Janet (nee McRAE b.c.1818, SCT.) 30 Nov., 1841, Port Phillip District. She died 12 Oct., 1899, bur. 16 Oct., 1899, Family Plot in Old Ballarat Cemetery, Area: Ave., Section: 3, Location: 6R2.

Duncan McRAE 1804-1889, squatter of "Glenlivet Station" near Digby was married in 1841 in the Presbyterian Parish of Geelong, Victoria to Janet McRAE c.1818-1899, daughter of John McRAE and they had the following known children...

1. Elizabeth McRAE 1843-1924, b. "Glenlivet" station, Merino, Victoria; d. Melbourne, Victoria; m. 1870 Victoria to Thomas ROSS 1825-1914, b. Glasgow, Scotland; Teacher of Hamilton, Dunolly and Chewton, Victoria; d. Melbourne, Victoria; Children: Elizabeth ROSS 1871-1943, b. Hamilton, Victoria; Andrew Melville ROSS 1873-1952, b. Hamilton, Victoria; Helena Cecilia ROSS 1875-1949, b. Dunolly, Victoria; Thomas Gordon ROSS D.S.O. 1878-1952, b. Chewton, Victoria.

2. Alexander McRAE c.1844-1888, b. "Glenlivet" Station, Digby, Victoria, d. 24 Feb. 1888, Roebourne, W.A., m. Isabel McKAY 13 Apr., 1881, W.A. Children:-Colin McRAE b.1882, W.A., died 1925, returned from Gallipoli and died of wounds. Mabel Janet McRAE b.1883, W.A., m. ? in Perth, W.A., d.1968. Edith Isabel McRAE b.c.1885, W.A., died c.1885, W.A. Gordon McRAE b.1887, W.A., died 1915, killed in W.W.1.

3. Farquhar McRAE 1845-1884, b. "Glenlivet" Station, Digby, Victoria; d. 1884, Roebourne, W.A. m. 21 May, 1878, Roebourne, W.A.to Eleanor Frances Jane DAVIS b.13 July 1850, daughter of John Okey DAVIS, she died c.1930. Children:-Duncan Davis McRAE b.c.1880, W.A. Ida Constance McRAE b.c.1882, d.c.1882.

4. Isabella McRAE c.1847-1930, b. Portland, Victoria; of "Glenlivet" and "Glenaulin" stations; d. Melbourne, Victoria; m. 1886 Fremantle, W.A. to Arthur Charles GILLAM c.1859-1932, b. Oxfordshire, England; pearler and station owner north-west Western Australia; d. Melbourne, Victoria. Child:-Laura Maria GILLAM b. and d. 1888.

5. John McRAE c.1849-1893, b. Portland, Victoria; d. Fremantle, Western Australia; m. Ada Ellen Augusta DAVIS 1867-1941. Had Issue.

6. George Winter McRAE 1850-1925, b. Portland, Victoria; of Western Australia; d. Melbourne, Victoria, bur. Brighton Cemetery, Melbourne. Never married.

7. Laura Mary McRAE 1853-1947, b. "Glenaulin No.1" Station, Drik Drik (near Dartmoor), S-W Victoria, d. Ballarat, Victoria; bur. 7 May, 1947, Family Plot, Old Ballarat Cemetery. Never married.

8. Duncan Kenneth McRAE 1855-1925, b. Digby, Victoria; d. Melbourne, Victoria;

9. Roderick McRAE 1857-1891, b. Digby, Victoria; of Roebourne, Western Australia; d. Singapore, S-W Asia.