Jim Downing grew up in Footscray, Melbourne, after his training in theology and social work, Downing became Superintendent of the Congregational Metropolitan Mission in Redfern, Sydney where he served in that position from 1959 to 1965.
In 1965, Downing received a government grant to work with Aboriginal people in Alice Springs with the Uniting Church, where he spent 40 years as an activist and advocate on behalf of Aboriginal people in Central and northern Australia.
