Born in Riverton, New Zealand in 1913 McAuslan studied art part time while at school. He published The Cartoonist, printed it by hand from lino-cuts, then sold the magazine door-to-door. He worked in a Wllington advertising agency for a year.

After arriving in Australia in 1936 he attended East Sydney Technical College. Before World War II he worked as an illustrator, incuding providing covers and interior art for KG Murray's Man Junior.

After serving overseas during the war, he travelled and worked in Europe.

For the remainder of his life he worked as a teacher, painter, illustrator and sculptor and lived between Australia and New Zealand, holding 11 solo shows and particpating in a number of group shows.