40,000BC – 1840
| 40,000BC | Years of Aboriginal residence. |
| 1606 | Spaniard, de Quiros, calls Vanuatu 'La Australia del Spiritu Santo'. |
| 1788 | Jan 23 First Fleet at Sydney Cove;1788 Jan 25 La Perouse entered Botany Bay; Abbé Mones, his chaplain, celebrated the first Mass within Australian territory; 3 Feb 1788 First Anglican service. |
| 1792 | Catholic settlers at Parramatta petition Phillip for a chaplain. |
| 1800 | Fr James Harold & Fr James Dixon arrive as convicts. |
| 1803 | Dixon says first public Mass. |
| 1804 | March 4 Castle Hill rebellion. Dixon's permit withdrawn. |
| 1817 | Aug 3 Jeremiah O'Flynn arrives - no government credentials. |
| 1818 | O'Flynn arrested and deported. |
| 1820 | Fr Philip Conolly and Fr John Therry arrive as official chaplains. |
| 1821 | March, Conolly to Tasmania; Therry in charge NSW Oct 29 foundation for St Mary's Church, site of cathedral. |
| 1822 | First Catholic school at Parramatta. |
| 1826 | Dec. 25 Fr Daniel Power as chaplain; Therry moves to Parramatta. |
| 1829 | WA settlement begins. |
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St Mary's Chapel and Precincts, Sydney, in the1830s
| 1830 | Catholic Emancipation Act promulgated for NSW. |
| 1831 | Fr CV Dowling OP arrives as chaplain. |
| 1832 | Fr John McEncroe arrives; and Attorney - General John Plunkett. |
| 1833 | Feb 18 Dr W B Ullathorne arrives as Vicar-Genera.l |
| 1834 | Polding created bishop and appointed vicar-apostolic of New Holland. |
| 1835 | Polding arrives in Sydney as
bishop; first resident clergy appointed to districts. |
| 1836 | Church Act; John Baptist
Pompallier consecrated bishop for missions in Oceania; South Australia first settlers. |
| 1838 | Pompallier takes up residence in Auckland; first Marist priests at Woolloomooloo; St Mary's Seminary opened at Bishop's House; Fr Goold osa, Fr John Brady, Caroline Chisholm, Sisters of Charity arrive. |
| 1840 | End of Transportation to NSW. |
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John Bede Polding, D.D, O.S.B, First Archbishop of Sydney.