Frederick William Arthur Downes (6 March 1855 – 3 December 1917) was an Australian politician.
He was born at Greystanes to farmer Jeremiah Frederick Downes and Sarah Ann Kirk.
Having moved to Camden with his family at the age of four, he attended Macquarie Fields School and the King's School in Parramatta before becoming a bank clerk.
He married Caroline Frances May on 14 April 1883 at Wivenhoe.
In 1904 Downes was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Liberal member for Camden.