Albert Jacka was born on a dairy farm at Layard, near Winchelsea, Victoria on 10 January 1893. His parents were Nathaniel Jacka and his English wife, Elizabeth Kettle. The family moved to Wedderburn, Victoria when he was five years old, where he went the local school. He began working with his father transporting goods. He was working for the Victorian State Forests Department when the First World War broke out.