A Timeline of Australian Masonic History
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The beginnings of Freemasonry in Australia are perhaps as clouded in mystery as its world wide beginnings. It is believed at least 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 the brought Freemasonry to Victoria are represented on this timeline.
1770 – HMS “Endeavour” reaches Australia with Freemason Joseph Banks onboard
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.
1889 20th March – The remaining dissenting Lodges in Victoria join Grand Lodge forming the United Grand Lodge of Victoria.
1908 - 25 Collins Street Melbourne purchased for continued use as a dedicated Masonic hall and meeting place of Grand Lodge.
1937 17th March - New Freemasons Hospital laid in Clarendon Street property 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.
A Timeline of Australian Masonic History
|
| Caption text to go here |
The beginnings of Freemasonry in Australia are perhaps as clouded in mystery as its world wide beginnings. It is believed at least 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 the brought Freemasonry to Victoria are represented on this timeline.
1770 – HMS “Endeavour” reaches Australia with Freemason Joseph Banks onboard
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.
1889 20th March – The remaining dissenting Lodges in Victoria join Grand Lodge forming the United Grand Lodge of Victoria.
1908 - 25 Collins Street Melbourne purchased for continued use as a dedicated Masonic hall and meeting place of Grand Lodge.
1937 17th March - New Freemasons Hospital laid in Clarendon Street property 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.