James McDonald (20 May 1856 - 15 August 1933) was an Australian politician.
He was born in Geelong to mason John McDonald and Catherine McIntyre. He was educated in Winchelsea and became a contractor and then a butcher at Inverleigh. He also ran orchards at Inverleigh and Colac. He served on Bannockburn Shire Council from 1888 to 1917, with four terms as president (1893 - 95, 1900 - 01, 1911 - 12, 1916 - 17). In 1917 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Polwarth, representing the Economy Party faction of the Nationalists. He was a minister without portfolio from 1924 to 1927. He held his seat until his death at Inverleigh in 1933. His nephew Allan McDonald succeeded him in the seat.[1]