Goldie was born in 1870 in Auckland, New Zealand to David Goldie (who would go on to be a mayor of Auckland) and Maria Partington. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Charles Frederick Partington, who built the landmark Auckland windmill.
Goldie attended Auckland College and Grammar School. While still at school he won several prizes from the Auckland Society of Arts and the New Zealand Art Students' Association.
He left school to start working for his father, while studying art part time under Louis John Steele.
Sir George Grey was impressed by two of Goldie's still-life paintings that were being exhibited at the Auckland Academy of Art (Steele's art society, of which Goldie was honorary secretary) in 1891, and he talked David Goldie into permitting his son to undertake further art training abroad.