1820 – The Grand Lodge of Ireland chartered Australian Social Lodge, No. 260 to meet in Sydney, New South Wales, the first stationary lodge in Australia; it was renamed Australian Social Mother Lodge, and is now Antiquity Lodge, No. 1 on the rolls of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Prior to 1820 there had been military lodges with Irish travelling warrants in the colony of New South Wales, and a Masonic meeting on board a French ship in Sydney Harbour in 1803.

1828 – The United Grand Lodge of England warranted the Lodge of Australia, No. 820 in New South Wales. The first civilian lodge was formed in Tasmania in the same year, Tasmanian Lodge, No. 313, Irish Constitution, which worked under dispensation from a military lodge, Thornton’s Lodge No. 284 IC, until the arrival of its warrant in 1831.

1834 – The United Grand Lodge of England consecrated the Lodge of Friendship, No. 613 in London, to meet in Australia, in the future colony of South Australia; the colony was established two years later, but the lodge did not meet in Australia until 1838. It subsequently became Lodge of Friendship, No. 1 under the Grand Lodge of South Australia.

1841 – England warranted the Lodge of Australia Felix, No. 697 to meet in what later became the colony of Victoria; this lodge became No. 1 on the rolls of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria.

1843 – The Grand Lodge of Scotland chartered its first lodge in Australia, Australian Kilwinning, No 337, now No. 2 under the United Grand Lodge of Victoria. In the same year England chartered the first lodge in the colony of Western Australia, Lodge of St. John, No. 485, now No. 1 under the Grand Lodge of Western Australia.

1859 –North Australian Lodge, No. 796 was granted a warrant by the United Grand Lodge of England to meet in Brisbane, and is now No. 1 under the United Grand Lodge of Queensland.

1877 – The Grand Lodge of New South Wales was formed by 13 lodges under the Grand Lodge of Ireland. This was the first grand lodge to be formed in Australia, but it was not recognized by the ‘home’ grand lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland.

1883 – The Grand Lodge of Victoria was formed by three Irish, two Scottish and one English lodge; this grand lodge also was not recognized by the ‘home’ grand lodges.

1884 – The Grand Lodge of South Australia was formed by all the English and Scottish lodges and five of the six Irish lodges in the colony, and received instant recognition; it is, therefore, the senior grand lodge in Australia, and its full title is now the Grand Lodge of South Australia and the Northern Territory, Inc. The Duke of Leinster Lodge, No. 363 IC held out, and still meets in Adelaide under its Irish warrant.

1888 – The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales was formed by all the English, Scottish and Irish lodges in the colony, together with the lodges of the (generally unrecognized) Grand Lodge of New South Wales. It is now known as The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

1889 – The United Grand Lodge of Victoria was formed by all the Scottish and Irish lodges in the colony, all but one of the English lodges and all the lodges of the (mainly unrecognized) Grand Lodge of Victoria. The new grand lodge was recognized by the ‘home’ grand lodges. Lodge Combermere, No. 752 EC still meets in Melbourne under its English warrant. The Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Victoria, the Supreme Grand Chapter of New South Wales, and the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of New South Wales were also established in 1889.

1890 – The Grand Lodge of Tasmania was formed by all the English, Irish and Scottish lodges in the colony, with approval of the ‘home’ grand lodges.

1900 – The Grand Lodge of Western Australia was formed by most of the English lodges, plus two Irish and 15 Scottish lodges. Despite the lack of unanimity, the new grand lodge was recognized. Some Scottish lodges remain under the Grand Lodge of Scotland in two District Grand Lodges, and one English lodge, Plantagenet, No. 1454, still meets in Albany.

1904 – The Grand Lodge of Queensland was formed by 25 Irish and 14 Scottish lodges; no English lodges participated and the ‘home’ grand lodges withheld recognition.

1920 – Another grand lodge was formed in Queensland, by most of the English lodges and those Irish and Scottish lodges which had not joined the Grand Lodge of Queensland. This second grand lodge was called the Queensland Grand Lodge. It was formed so that its constituent lodges could negotiate with the earlier grand lodge on terms of equality.

1921 – The Grand Lodge of Queensland and the Queensland Grand Lodge amalgamated as the United Grand Lodge of Queensland, which thereby obtained recognition. The Scottish lodges joined on condition that they could keep their Scottish regalia and ritual. Two English lodges in the north of Queensland did not join, and they still meet under their English warrants: Port Curtis Lodge, No. 2235 and Geraldton Lodge, No. 8544.

1985 – Supreme Council, 33° of the Antient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Australia formed.