A Timeline of Australian Masonic History

The beginnings of Freemasonry in Australia are perhaps as clouded in mystery as its world wide beginnings. It is believed that the first Freemason to set foot on Australian soil arrived here with the Endeavour, in the person of Joseph Banks. 

Some of the important events in Freemasonry, with a focus on Victoria Australia;

1770 - HMS Endeavour reaches Australia with Freemason Joseph Banks on board.

1797 - Freemasons Arms hotel built in Parramatta.

1800 27 April - Lodge of St John meets on Norfolk Island without a Warrant until 1807.

1802 17 September - First Masonic document issued in Australia now held in the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

1803 14th May - Masonic meeting in Sydney interrupted by military.

1803 22nd May Governor of Sydney bans Masonic meetings without his permission.

1810 1st Jan - Freemason Lachlan Macquarie becomes governor of NSW.

1820 12th August - Australian Social Lodge No 260 IC is the first warranted lodge resident in Australia meets for the first time.

1828 - Formation of Tasmanian Lodge No. 313 in Hobart by dispensation.

1834 22nd October - Consecration of the South Australian Lodge of Friendship No. 613 in London.

1840 25th March Lodge Australia Felix No 697 EC meets in Melbourne.

1842 Victorian John Stephen appointed Pro Grand Master for the Southern portion of Australasia.

1850's to 1860's -  The Gold rush in Victoria creates boom in rural population and leads to establishment of wide spread rural lodges.

1867 17th June.  Royal Freemasons Homes of Victoria Established.

1883 2nd July. After several failed attempts in the previous years, a Grand Lodge of Victoria is established with The Hon. George Seth Coppin as Grand Master.

1884 16 April. Grand Lodge of South Australia (Later called United Grand Lodge of SA and NT) is established.

1888 Grand Lodge of NSW (Later called United Grand Lodge of NSW and ACT) is established.

1889 20 March. United Grand Lodge of Victoria is established.

1890 26 June. Grand Lodge of Tasmania is established.

1908 - 25 Collins Street Melbourne purchased for continued use as a dedicated Masonic hall and meeting place of Grand Lodge.

1900 28 February. Grand Lodge of Western Australia is established.

1921 21 April. Grand Lodge of Queensland is established.

1937 17th March - New Freemasons Hospital began in Clarendon Street East Melbourne.

1969 Dallas Brooks Hall opened as the New Masonic Center of Victoria.

1989 Centenary of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria celebrated.

2006 Freemasons Hospital sold to Epworth Hospitals.

Source UGLV Web Site with further editing by the webmaster.

 (link now dead, but see https://www.freemasonsvic.net.au/history-and-heritage/