Between 1857 and 1862, Macadam served as honorary secretary of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, which then became the Royal Society of Victoria in 1860, and was appointed vice-president of it in 1863. He was editor of first five volumes of the societys Transactions. He was active in erecting the Societys Meeting Hall (their present building) and was involved in the institute's initiative to obtain a royal charter. He saw both happen while he held office, when in January 1860, the Philosophical Institute became the Royal Society of Victoria and met in their new building.