Australian Catholic timetable

  • Period: to

    1616

    Dutch sea captain Dirk Hartog landed on western coast of Australia
  • Period: to

    1778

    Arrival of First Fleet at Sydney Cove. Possibly first Mass was said on Australian soil during this year by Fr. Receveur
  • Period: to

    1802

    Foundation of Christian Brothers by Edmund Ignatius Rice, Ireland
  • Period: to

    1803

    First public Mass said by Fr. Dixon
  • Period: to

    1820

    Frs. Therry and Conolly, the first official priests arrive
  • Period: to

    1821

    Construction of first Catholic church at Richmond, Tasmania
  • Period: to

    1835

    Bede Polding becomes Australia's first Catholic bishop
  • Period: to

    1838

    Arrival of Caroline Chisholm in Australia
  • Period: to

    1839

    Arrival of Fr. Patrick Geoghegan in Melbourne
  • Period: to

    1847

    James Alepius Goold becomes first Catholic bishop of Melbourne
  • Period: to

    1854

    Establishment of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Australia
  • Period: to

    1865

    St. Mary's Cathedral, in Sydney destroyed by fire .
  • Period: to

    1866

    Mary McKillop and Fr. Julian Tenison Woods found Sisters of St. Joseph. And also Daniel Murphy appointed second Archbishop of Hobart
  • Period: to

    1871

    Completion of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Ballarat.
  • Period: to

    1906

    Beginning of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart missions in the Northern Territory
  • Period: to

    1909

    the death of Mary McKillop
  • Period: to

    1932

    the Sydney Harbour Bridge completed
  • Period: to

    1967

    Archbishop James Robert Knox appointed Archbishop of Melbourne
  • Period: to

    1986

    John Paul II visits Australia
  • Period: to

    1995

    John Paul II visits Australia for Beatification of Mary McKillop.
  • Period: to

    1996

    Appointment of Dr. George Pell as Archbishop of Melbourne. and the St Francis Cathedral Adelaide completed.
  • Period: to

    2000

    Opening of Corpus Christi seminary, Carlton. Opening of Catholic Theological College, East Melbourne by Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. And St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney completed