Ferg McKinnon studied geography, demography, economics, economic statistics, Russian and Russian Literature at Monash University in Melbourne, as well as completing a Diploma of Education. He played bass guitar in the 1970s rock band 'Rainbow Theatre' which produced two albums (
The Armada and
A Fantasy of Horses). During this time he taught matriculation geography and worked as a freelance journalist and music critic for
The Nation Review. Subsequently he worked in various non-literary occupations, then as an in-depth interviewer in medical, industrial, commercial and consumer market research, as well as running his own garden maintenance business.