The First McIlwraith Ministry was a ministry of the Government of Queensland

Government of Queensland

The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...

 and was led by Premier Thomas McIlwraith

Thomas McIlwraith

Sir Thomas McIlwraith KCMG was for many years the dominant figure of colonial politics in Queensland. He was Premier of Queensland from 1877 to 1883, again in 1888, and for a third time in 1893...

. It succeeded the Douglas Ministry on 21 January 1879 after the latter lost a vote of no confidence in Parliament after the 1878 election. It was in turn succeeded by the First Griffith Ministry

First Griffith Ministry

The First Griffith Ministry was a ministry of the Government of Queensland and was led by Premier Samuel Griffith. It succeeded the First McIlwraith Ministry on 13 November 1883 after the latter lost the 1883 election...

 on 13 November 1883 after losing the 1883 election.

First ministry

On 21 January 1879, the Governor, Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy

Arthur Edward Kennedy

Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy GCMG CB was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of a number of British colonies, namely Sierra Leone, Western Australia, Vancouver Island, Hong Kong and Queensland....

, designated 6 principal executive offices of the Government, and appointed the following Members of the Parliament of Queensland

Parliament of Queensland

The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...

 to the Ministry as follows:

Office	Minister
Premier Colonial Treasurer Treasurer of Queensland The Treasurer of Queensland is the title held by the Cabinet minister who is responsible for the financial management of Queensland’s budget sector.-List of Queensland Treasurers:...  (until 24 December 1881) Colonial Secretary (from 24 December 1881)	Thomas McIlwraith Thomas McIlwraith Sir Thomas McIlwraith KCMG was for many years the dominant figure of colonial politics in Queensland. He was Premier of Queensland from 1877 to 1883, again in 1888, and for a third time in 1893... , MLA
Colonial Secretary Secretary for Public Instruction	Arthur Hunter Palmer Arthur Hunter Palmer Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer KCMG was an Irish-Australian politician and a Premier of Queensland.Palmer was born in Armagh, Ireland, the son of Lieutenant Arthur Palmer, R.N., and his wife, Emily née Hunter. Palmer was educated at Youghal Grammar School and a private tutor in Dublin... , MLA (until 24 December 1881)
Colonial Treasurer Treasurer of Queensland The Treasurer of Queensland is the title held by the Cabinet minister who is responsible for the financial management of Queensland’s budget sector.-List of Queensland Treasurers:... Secretary for Public Instruction	Archibald Archer, MLA (from 5 January 1882)
Secretary for Public Works Secretary for Mines	John Murtagh Macrossan John Murtagh Macrossan John Murtagh Macrossan was Queensland’s 16th Chief Justice and the third person from the Macrossan family to occupy that position. He was also a distinguished barrister, chancellor and judge... , MLA (until 13 March 1883) Albert Norton Albert Norton Albert Norton was a Queensland politician and pastoralist.Norton was the sixth son of James Norton, born at the family home, "Elswick" now Leichhardt, New South Wales. He was educated at the Rev. F. Wilkinson's school at Sydney, and from 1852 to 1857 was gaining experience on stations in the New... , MLA (from 13 March 1883)
Attorney-General Attorney-General of Queensland The Attorney-General of Queensland is a ministry of the Government of Queensland with responsibility for the state's legal and justice system.The current Attorney-General of Queensland is Paul Lucas.-List of Attorneys-General of Queensland:-References:...	John Malbon Thompson, MLA (until 16 May 1879) Ratcliff Pring, MLA (16 May 1879 — 4 June 1880) Henry Beor, MLA (4 June 1880 — 25 December 1880) Pope Alexander Cooper Pope Alexander Cooper Sir Pope Alexander Cooper KCMG was an attorney-general and a chief judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia.-Early life:... , MLA (31 December 1880 — 5 January 1883) Charles Chubb, MLA (from 5 January 1883)
Secretary for Public Lands	Patrick Perkins, MLA
Postmaster-General Representative of Government   in the Legislative Council Queensland Legislative Council The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.Consequently, the...	Charles Hardie Buzacott, MLC (until 17 December 1880) Boyd Dunlop Morehead, MLC (from 17 December 1880)

Macrossan did not hold a seat at the time of his appointment; however, the member for Electoral district of Townsville

Electoral district of Townsville

The district of Townsville is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. The seat is one of four within the Townsville urban area in North Queensland, and covers the Eastern and Northern suburbs of the City of Townsville as well as Magnetic Island and...

resigned and Macrossan was seated in the Assembly on 4 March 1879.

Pring lost his seat at a ministerial by-election on 29 May 1879 but continued as Attorney-General without a seat.