McGranger was born to Bruce and Audrey. She originally was a primary school teacher who trained at the Riverina College of Advanced Education in
Wagga Wagga,
New South Wales, in 1975 where she had her initial actor training. She started her career in stage roles, early roles included Rose in
Bye Bye Birdie and Anita in
West Side Story. After further experience with the Q Theatre in
Penrith, west of Sydney, she started working in television and won a small part in soap opera
The Flying Doctors. She undertook her best-known role on 12 January 1993, when she joined the cast of
Home and Away playing Irene Roberts. At first cast in a guest role, McGranger was made a permanent cast member on 7 October 1993. In 2014 McGranger overtook former co-star
Kate Ritchie as the longest serving actress to play the same character in Australian television. McGranger was a participant in the
fourteenth season of
Dancing with the Stars. On 23 February 2025, McGranger announced her departure from
Home and Away. She would film her final scenes at the end of March, and her on-screen exit aired on 19 August. McGranger confirmed she made the decision after appearing in a production of musical comedy
The Grandparents Club in 2024 and she said that it was a "full circle moment". On 16 June 2025, McGranger received a nomination for the
Gold Logie Award and the
Logie Award for Best Actress. On 3 August, McGranger won both accolades. After taking some time off to travel, McGranger began appearing in a new touring season of
The Grandparents Club. On 21 February 2026, McGranger was confirmed to have joined the Channel Nine reality series
Shark!. ==Personal life==