Julie McCarron-Benson grew up in the small New South Wales Central West town of Canowindra. After finishing school she worked in the Commonwealth Public Service, Department of the Army and later went nursing, got married and had three kids.
In 1989 McCarron-Benson graduated from the Australian National University with a BA, and went on to follow a number of career paths, including her own freelance event management business (For Occasions), and Michele’s Pantry, a range of gourmet foods. She also opened a retail outlet, Cafétopia at Hackett shops, in 2003 but was forced to close down the business in 2005.
After her business venture folded McCarron-Benson studied art. She has since produced a series of calendars, entered art shows and held her own exhibitions. She has also published poetry and several books, including WEL Women : Recollections of Some of the First WEL-ACT Women (199) and the novel, Snatch and Grab (2016).
McCarron-Benson was also an unsuccessful Australian Democrats candidate in the 1989 ACT elections, the 1990 Federal Elections and the 1992 ACT elections.
