Sir James MacBain KCMG (19 April 1828 – 4 November 1892) was a politician in colonial Victoria (Australia), President of the Victorian Legislative Council.

[2] Immediately afterwards MacBain came to Melbourne, where he entered the service of the Bank of New South Wales.

He quit shortly after and became partner in Melbourne of the mercantile and squatting agency firm of Gibbs, Ronald & Co.[2] In 1863 he became a partner in the Geelong and London business of that firm, and of Richard Gibbs & Co., of London.

He was a member of the Bryan O'Loghlen Government without portfolio from August 1881 to March 1883, in which year he visited Europe and acted as chairman of the Victorian Commission at the Amsterdam Exhibition.

[3] He was knighted in May 1886, and having in the meantime acted as president or the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition, was created K.C.M.G.