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This historic convoy, later known as the First Fleet, was led by Captain Arthur Phillip. The First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay on 20 January 1788.
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1788 La Perouse enters Botany Bay and his chaplain, Abbe Mones, celebrates the first Mass within Australian territory
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In March 1791, Henry Browne Hayes, Sherriff of Cork City, was put in charge of arranging the first transportation of Irish convicts to New South Wales.
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1792 Catholic settlers in Parramatta petition Governor Phillip for a chaplin
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Irish Rebellion are transported to New South Wales as convicts
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1803 First official public Mass is held under strict Government supervision and is celebrated by prisoner priest, Fr Dixon
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1804 Castle Hill Rebellion results in Fr Dixon’s permit to conduct Mass being withdrawn
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1817 Fr Jeremiah Flynn arrives to minister to convict Catholics but he does not have the official sanction of the church or state. The following year after ignoring Governor Macquarie’s instructions not to carry out any of the functions of a priest, he is arrested and deported despite protests from the colony’s Catholics and several Protestant leaders
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1820 Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly, Australia’s first official priests, arrive in Sydney. Fr Therry opens the first Catholic school in Parramatta and lobbies Governor Macquarie for land on which to build the settlement’s first Catholic church. Father Conolly leaves for Hobart leaving Fr John Therry the only priest on mainland Australia
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1821 The foundation stone of St Mary’s Chapel is laid by Governor Macquarie and blessed by Fr Therry. The site is near a barren brickfield and Sydney’s convict barracks on land considered undesirable and without value. Father Connolly builds the first Catholic church in Tasmania
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1822 Fr Therry founds the first Catholic school on Hunter Street, Parramatta
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1825 Fr Therry is misquoted in the Sydney Gazette triggering a furore among the Anglican Establishment. An outraged Governor Macquarie, now Earl of Bathurst removes Therry from his role as the colony’s official chaplain.
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1826 Fr Daniel Power lands in Sydney to replace Fr Therry as official chaplain to the growing colony. Hardworking Fr Therry moves to Parramatta and remains a chief influence among Sydney’s Catholics
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1828 Australia’s first census is held and reveals a white population of 36,598 which includes both free settlers and convicts. Among these, 25,248 are Protestants and 11,236 Catholics
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1829 Penal laws preventing Catholics holding Government positions ends
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1830 Fr Power dies