Portland in the south-west, the oldest town in Victoria, was founded as a coastal and pastoral settlement.  The census of 1841 shows 203 Catholics in the district.

The first Mass in the part of Victoria that later became Ballarat Diocese was celebrated in Portland in November 1844 by Archbishop Polding of Sydney.

The  first resident priest arrives at Portland.

In Portland a chapel had been built and soon after a school was started, also held in the chapel, with Miss Rosanna Phillipina Quinn as the first teacher.  The average attendance was 25 children and she was paid a Government salary of twenty pounds a year.

St Patrick’s Primary School Port Fairy was established.

Gold was discovered at Clunes and other gold strikes followed progressively throughout the Central Victorian region bringing thousands of Europeans to the area.

The Ballarat Parish is established.

In Ballarat at the start of 1853 there were 850 children on the diggings.  By the end of the year there were 3,600.

Fr Patrick Smyth, a young priest, protects and nurses the wounded miners after the Eureka Stockade rebellion.

The first stone is laid for the church of St Patrick’s in Ballarat.

Government Land Acts open up Western Victoria to more settlement.

Government funding to schools is cut and Mary MacKillop’s Sisters of St Joseph take up teaching roles in many schools.  Other orders of religious Sisters and Brothers, mostly from Ireland, are brought out to teach the children and care for the people of Victoria.

The Diocese of Ballarat is established in April.

St Patrick’s Church Ballarat is raised to Cathedral status and Bishop Michael O’Connor is installed as 1st Bishop of Ballarat on December 20. (Bishop O’Connor was ordained Bishop in Ireland on May 17, 1874 and arrived in Ballarat on December 20, 1874).

Fr James Moore is consecrated as 2nd Bishop of Ballarat on April 27 – the first Bishop to be ordained in St Patrick’s Cathedral.

The Chaffey Brothers establish a settlement at Mildura opening up the north west of Victoria.

St Patrick’s Cathedral Ballarat is consecrated by Archbishop Moran of Sydney.

Bishop Joseph Higgins, Bishop of Rockhampton, becomes the 3rd Bishop of Ballarat on March 3.  (Bishop Higgins was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney on March 31, 1883 and appointed as Bishop of Rockhampton on May 4, 1899 prior to translating to the Diocese of Ballarat).

Fr Daniel Foley is consecrated as 4th Bishop on August 24 – the second Bishop to be ordained in St Patrick’s Cathedral.  (Fr Foley was Parish Priest of Terang parish prior to his appointment as Bishop).

After World War I, soldier settlement and the Murray irrigation scheme brought a wave of new communities and parishes in the north and far west of the Diocese.

Bishop James P O’Collins, Bishop of Geraldton, becomes 5th Bishop of Ballarat on December 23.  (Bishop O’Collins was ordained Bishop of Geraldton on May 11, 1930 prior to translating to the Diocese of Ballarat).

The aftermath of World War II causes significant immigration from Europe and there is growth in communities across the Diocese.

Diocesan Journal Light is established.

Bishop Ronald Mulkearns is installed as 6th Bishop of Ballarat on May 1.

Centenary celebrations of the Diocese are held on March 22.

Centacare Ballarat (then known as  Ballarat Diocesan Family Services) is established to provide support and social welfare services to all people in the Diocesan area.

Establishment of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat Foundation.

Final issue of Diocesan journal Light in December.

First issue of new Diocesan journal Our Diocesan Community in July.

Installation of Bishop Peter Joseph Connors as 7th Bishop of Ballarat on July 23.  (Bishop Connors was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne on May 21, 1987 prior to translating to the Diocese of Ballarat).

Ordination and installation of Fr Paul Bird CSsR as 8th Bishop of Ballarat on October 16 – the third Bishop to be ordained in St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Opening and blessing of new church in Buninyong on July 20 due to growth in the area and the old church being too small.

Announcement of new Catholic primary school to be built soon at Lucas in West Ballarat to meet growing demand.

The Diocesan Sacraments of Initiation Catechetical Resource, “Let the Children Come” was launched by Bishop Paul Bird CSsR.

Bishop Ronald Mulkearns dies on April 4.

Bishop Paul Bird CSsR decrees three new parishes for the Diocese, formed by joining groups of neighbouring parishes that have already been working together and sharing a parish priest.   Click here for more information.

A diocesan Mass to celebrate 200 Years of Catholic Education in Australia was held in St Patrick’s Cathedral Ballarat on Monday, May 24 – The Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians – Patron Saint of Australia.