in 1829 mcgarvie contributed a series of biographical articles to the sydney gazette with a number of his poems under such pseudonyms as 'm., ananbaba', 'a.b., marramatta' and 'c.d., warrambamba'. when the sydney herald commenced in 1831, with his brother william as one of its three original proprietors, he contributed the editorials, and continued as leader writer for a significant period. mcgarvie was one of the founders in 1826 of the sydney dispensary (afterwards the sydney infirmary and dispensary, and later sydney hospital) and was its honorary secretary from 1836 until his death. he was also a founder of the sydney school of arts. on the establishment of the australian college in 1831 he conducted the mathematics department and also lectured in chemistry and natural philosophy.