Television

After a recurring role in A Country Practice in 1990, McInnes appeared in series such as Bligh, Ocean Girl, Good Vibrations and Snowy before making his name as Senior Constable Nick Schultz on Blue Heelers in 1993. McInnes appeared in the show until 1998, when he left to focus on other work. In 1999, he joined the cast of SeaChange as Max Connors, the new love interest of the main character Laura Gibson (Sigrid Thornton) after Diver Dan (David Wenham) left the series.

In 2001, he starred in an episode of Halifax f.p.. In 2002, McInnes was part of the cast of Marshall Law, which was cancelled after one season; and he returned for several episodes of Blue Heelers in 2004 and 2005. He also had a recurring role as Rosie's sleazy ex Colin in 2003's CrashBurn; and a noted comic turn as Sandy Freckle in two episodes of Kath & Kim, under the pseudonym "Rock Hampton". In 2006 he completed the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.

McInnes was the first guest host of Let Loose Live on 29 May 2005; the show was axed by the Seven Network after just two weeks. He also appeared as himself on Micallef Tonight on the Nine Network but it was also quickly axed. McInnes lent his voice for the Nine Network factual series The Code: Crime and Justice.^[3] He is sometimes credited as "Rock Hampton" (e.g. in Kath & Kim and the 2005 film You and Your Stupid Mate), as a nod to his university time spent in the city of the same name. In 2007 he played the title role in the telemovie Curtin.

In late 2007, he had a leading role in Season 1 of SBS's East West 101.^[4] In 2008, he also appeared in Network Ten's telemovie The Informant. He portrayed the historical person, Jack Ford, in the ABC drama Dangerous Remedy (2012).^[5] In 2023, McInnes started play AFP Forensic Pathologist Dr Roy Penrose in the Network 10/Paramount+ series NCIS: Sydney.^[6]

Film

Early film roles include My Brother Jack (2001), Do Or Die (2001), Dirty Deeds (2002) and the TV Movie The Shark Net (2003).

McInnes featured in the lead role in Look Both Ways (2005), directed by his wife Sarah Watt. Subsequent film roles include in 2006 Irresistible, with Susan Sarandon, and Kokoda, the lead role in the romantic drama Unfinished Sky in 2007, and in 2009 Prime Mover, featuring Andrew S. Gilbert, Ben Mendelsohn and Anthony Hayes, and Sarah Watt's follow-up film My Year Without Sex.

Radio

In December 2016, McInnes hosted Summer Afternoons across ABC Local Radio.^[7]

Film

Television

Awards

McInnes has won, and been nominated for, several awards including: Won

• 2000 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
• 2002 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for My Brother Jack
• 2008 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for East West 101
• 2008 – Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 50th Australian Film Institute Awards for Unfinished Sky

Nominated

• 1997 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for Blue Heelers
• 1998 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for Blue Heelers
• 2001 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
• 2001 – Most Popular Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
• 2001 – Best Actor in a telemovie at the AFI Awards, for My Brother Jack
• 2001 – Best Actor in a Television Series at the AFI Awards, for SeaChange
• 2004 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for The Shark Net
• 2005 – Best Lead Actor at the AFI Awards, for Look Both Ways
• 2008 – Best Lead Actor at the AFI Awards, for East West 101

In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, McInnes was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as an "Influential Artist".^[14]

Non-fiction

• McInnes, William (2005). A Man's Got to Have a Hobby : Long Summers with My Dad (1st ed.). Hodder Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-2078-2.
• —— (2008). That'd Be Right : A Fairly True History of Modern Australia. Hachette Livre. ISBN 978-0-7336-2253-3.
• —— (2010). The Making of Modern Australia (1st ed.). Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-2494-0.
• with Watt, Sarah (2012). Worse Things Happen at Sea. Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-2802-3.
• —— (2014). Holidays. Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-3312-6.
• —— (2016). Full Bore. Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-3553-3.
• —— (2018). Fatherhood : Stories about Being a Dad. Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-3555-7.

Fiction

• McInnes, William (2006). Cricket Kings (1st ed.). Hachette Livre Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-2049-2.
• —— (2012). The Laughing Clowns. Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-2409-4.
• —— (2013). The Birdwatcher. Hachette Australia. ISBN 978-0-7336-3043-9.