History of the Church in Australia Timeline

By HueyBagooy

  • 1788

    La Perouse enters Botany Bay and his chaplain, Abbe Mones, celebrates the first Mass within Australian territory

  • 1791

    First Irish convicts transported to Botany Bay

  • 1803

    First official public mass

  • 1800

    Fr James Dixon and two other priests arrested as part of the 1798 Irish Rebellion are transported to New South Wales as convicts

  • 1820

    Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly arrived in Sydney and became Australia’s first official priest.

  • 1825

    Fr Therry removed from his role as colony’s official Chaplin

  • 1826

    Fr Daniel Power lands in Sydney to replace Fr Therry

  • 1833

    St Mary’s Chapel completed

  • 1835

    Bishop Polding arrives in Hobart and a short time later sails for Sydney.

  • 1857

    The Sisters of Charity establish St Vincent’s Hospital in the centre of Sydney and offer its services free to all people, but especially to the poor.

  • 1866

    Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods found the Sisters of St. Joseph

  • 1881

    First St Vincent de Paul Society established in Sydney

  • 1909

    Death of Mother Mary MacKillop

  • 1963

    Death of Pope John XXIII

  • 1970

    Pope Paul VI makes the first-ever Papal visit to Australia

  • 1983

    Cardinal Freeman dies. Thousands of Catholics and non Catholics mourn his passing.

  • 2005

    Death of much loved Pope John Paul II. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is elected Pope Benedict XVI

  • 2008

    World Youth Day

  • More information

    History of the Church in Australia. FROM THE FIRST FLEET TO THE 21ST CENTURY