Arthur Macalister

Macalister was born in Glasgow, Scotland, son of John Macalister, a cabinet maker, and his wife Mary, née Scoullar. Macalister was educated in Glasgow and emigrated to Australia with his wife Elizabeth Wallace née Tassie. They arrived in Sydney on 28 September 1839 on the Abbotsford. Macalister was appointed to the positions of clerk of Petty Sessions and postmaster at Scone, New South Wales in June 1840. In 1846 he was working for a solicitor in Sydney. In 1850 he was admitted as a solicitor and attorney. ==Political career==

In 1859, the colony of Queensland was separated from New South Wales and Macalister became a member of its first parliament. He was appointed Secretary for Public Lands and Works in 1862, and then became premier in February 1866. He resigned in July, before again becoming premier the following month. He resigned and became chairman of committees the next year. Macalister lost his seat in June 1871 but was re-elected for Ipswich in 1872 in a by-election. He again became premier in 1874, before resigning in 1876 and taking office as Queensland's agent-general in London. ==Later life==

Macalister's retired in 1881. He was created Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1876. Macalister died near Glasgow on 23 March 1883 at the age of 65. He was survived by his wife, who died 14 September 1894. ==Family==

Macalister married Elizabeth Wallace Tassie in Edinburgh, Scotland with whom he had 9 children. ==Legacy==

A number of street names in the Brisbane suburb of Carina Heights are identical to the surnames of former Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. One of these is Macalister Street. The electoral district of Macalister created in the 2017 Queensland state electoral redistribution was named after him. The Macalister Range along the Far North Queensland coast between Cairns and Port Douglas was named in honour of the Premier by George Augustus Frederick Elphinstone Dalrymple during the 1873 ‘Queensland North-East Coast Expedition. The range name is also used for a locality in Far North Queensland and Macalister Range National Park. The township of Macalister on the Western Darling Downs was named after him. ==See also==