Sylvanus James Magarey (21 October 1850 – 24 March 1901) was a surgeon and politician in the Colony of South Australia, described as "an exemplary citizen, social reformer and legislator".

[2] Magarey was an Honorary Physician at the Adelaide Homeopathic Dispensary in King William Street, that offered free service to the poor, along with (later fellow parliamentarian) Dr. Allan Campbell.

[3] Magarey was elected to the Legislative Council for Central Districts from May 1888 with G. Witherage Cotton and retired at the end of his term in April 1897.

While in parliament he fought for temperance causes and succeeded in mandating Sunday closing and raising the legal drinking age to 21.

[5] Mary Lee, one of the founders of the South Australian Women's Suffrage League, said in her estimation there were four men whose names should live on South Australian history's 'brightest page' for their part in gaining the suffrage: they were Dr Edward Stirling, Robert Caldwell MHA, the Hon.Sylvanus Magarey and the Reverend J. C. Kirby.