Maitland's Mackinley Dooley takes gold at the Australian Rowing Championships

Mackinley was part of the St Josephs College team which travelled to Perth to compete at the Champion Lakes Regatta Centre.

The two thousand metre event was held on Saturday, April 1 with the St Josephs College team winning in a time of six minutes and 16 seconds.

From Largs, Mackinley also finished third as part of the Under-17 Men's Coxed Quad Scull. He studied at the Hunter Valley Grammar School and was a part of their rowing program for two years before transferring to St Josephs College in Sydney.

Mackinley has been rowing for the past three years and his father Damien said he was drawn to the sport after attending an event at the International Rowing Centre in Penrith.

"We're a pretty sporty crew and have always loved doing different sports so he's played rugby from a young age, did touch football from a young age and played different levels as well, representative levels," he said.

"It was only by chance each year at the Grammar School they have a go-try day and he was interested, he heard about it.

"He thought he would give it a go and from that first introduction he just fell in love with it and he's been rowing ever since."

Mackinley is in year-10 and has had a successful year in the boat. He gained selection for the St Josephs Schoolboy First Eight, a team usually reserved for year-11 and 12 students.

The last student to achieve a similar feat was Olympic gold medalist Spencer Turrin from Dungog. Mackinley's great grandfather was also rower for St Josephs College in the 1930s.

"He's pretty serious about his rowing, once you're at that level you're doing five or six training sessions every week," Damien Dooley said.

"He's right into it, he really loves it."