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The first services were held in Saint George Anglican Mission, the beginning of a long and amicable relationship between Anglicans and Orthodox in Victoria. In March 1932 the community purchased a church, where Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church stands today, using four £125 donations from John Batrouney, Joseph & Walter Davis, and Alex Malouly. The iconostasis, based on the iconostasis of the [[Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Tokyo, Japan)|Holy Resurrection Cathedral]], Tokyo, was completed by Palm Sunday, 1932, when the first service was held in the Church. At the first council meeting of May 1932, it was decided to name the church after St Nicholas. The church was consecrated on [[October 1]], 1933 by Metropolitan [[Timotheos (Evangelinidis) of Rhodes|Timotheos]], the head of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Australia and New Zealand. The consecration, attended by an Anglican minister, Rev. F.E. Maynard (Anglican) , and the Greek and French consuls, was chanted in Arabic, English, Greek, and Slavonic.

During times that there was no Orthodox priest, which were always visiting until 1971, the church was closed. In 1916, Fr [[Nicholas Shehadie]] spent 2-3 months in Dunedin, holding Orthodox services. In 1937, Archim. [[Antonious (Mobayed)]] stayed in Dunedin for several months, during which time it was arranged that, having instructed them in the rudiments of Eastern Orthodox Liturgics, Canon A.P. Pywell, and then the Vicar of Holy Cross Anglican Church in St Kilda, would look after the congregation as an interim measure. Archim. Antonious visited Dunedin for the last time in 1939. The care of St Michael's became an accepted responsibility of the Vicars of Holy Cross, St. Kilda, until 1971.

In 1969, Bp [[Gibran (Ramlawey) of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]], having been consecrated by Metropolitan [[Philip (Saliba) of New York]], arrived in Sydney, Australia. In 1973, Bp Gibran wanted a new church built in the western suburbs of Sydney. Fr [[John Shehadie]], son of Exarch Nicholas Shehadie, was appointed priest of the new church of St Nicholas, Punchbowl, and served there until his 1987 retirement.

In Melbourne1971, an Anglican priest in New Zealand decided, seeing the desire trend of Fr Malatius Hussney Anglicanism away from its traditional roots, to actively involve new arrivals convert to Australia led to a splitOrthodoxy, with the older members and was ordained in September 1972 by Bp [[Gibran (Ramlawey) of St Nicholas feeling unwantedAustralia and New Zealand|Gibran]]. As a result, Fr [[Jack Witbrock]] served as [[rector]] of St George was founded in ThornburyMichael's, MelbourneDunedin, in 1972for the next 12 years until he was succeeded by Fr [[Ilyan Eades]].

In 1971Melbourne, an Anglican priest in New Zealand decided, seeing the trend desire of Anglicanism away from its traditional roots, Fr Malatius Hussney to actively involve new arrivals to convert Australia led to Orthodoxya split, with the older members of St Nicholas feeling unwanted; as a result, and St George was ordained founded in Thornbury, Melbourne, in September 1972 by . The next year, Bp [[Gibran (Ramlawey) wanted a new church built in the western suburbs of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]]Sydney. Fr [[Jack Witbrock]] served as [[rectorJohn Shehadie]] , son of Exarch Nicholas Shehadie, was appointed priest of the new church of St Michael'sNicholas, DunedinPunchbowl, for the next 12 yearsand served there until his 1987 retirement.

In 1982, Fr Elias Khoury was ordained to the priesthood, and assigned to St Nicholas, Punchbowl. In 1985, he was elevated to Archpriest; in . In the same year, a new parish was established in Mays Hill, and named St Mary's, for the Nativity of the [[Theotokos|Mother of God]]. The first priest was Fr [[John Shehadie|Hanna Shehadie]], and the community worshipped in Granville. In 1987, St Mary's - now led by Fr [[Stephen Godley]] - moved to Merrylands; also in 1985, a parish in Wollongong was founded and named for St Elias.

In 1986, St George's Antiochian Orthodox Church, Melbourne, decided to purchase its own church, and did so from the Anglican Church. Renovation started immediately, and were completed in 1988, when renovations of the hall began - these were completed in 1991, making the hall one of the most attractive Arabic special events halls in Melbourne. In 1994, the property adjacent to St George's (including a rectory) was purchased.

In 1987, St Mary's moved to Merrylands, led by Fr [[Stephen Godley]], and in the same was a landmark year, with the Antiochian Orthodox Church of St George, Redfern, Sydney, was being elevated to the Cathedral. By 1988, 1988, the church building purchased by St George's had completed its renovation. After this, the renovation of the hall beganDiocese.

In 1989, Bp Gibran appointed the first committee of a new parish in Brisbane, which was registered in 1990. In 1993, Fr John Abdel-Karim became the first parish priest of the Church of St Paul, Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

In January 1991, the The site for St Mary's, Mays Hill, was purchasedin January 1991, with Fr Emile Assaf being transferred from St Nicholas, Melbourne, to pastor the new parish church with Fr Aziz Abwi. In the same year, The first services were held in the church hall of St GeorgeMary's churchin 1994, Thornbury, was completed, and is now one of with the most attractive Arabic special event venues first services in Melbournethe church being on Good Friday, 1999.

In 19931994, Fr John Abdel-Karim became the first Elias Khoury, parish priest of St Nicholas, Punchbowl, began working with the Church Department of St PaulCommunity Services and administered a new program, WoolloongabbaOrtho-Care, Brisbanedesigned to help those requiring financial and spiritual assistance.

In 1994the mid-1990s, changing beliefs and practises in the first services were held Anglican Communion, culminating in the church hall ordination of St Mary'swomen to the priesthood, Mays Hillcaused a number of clergy to leave the Anglican Communion and join the Orthodox Church. Fr Elias Khoury began working with Many of these moved to the Department of Community Services and administered a new programAntiochian Orthodox Church, creating St Barnabas Parish, Ortho-CareGold Coast; St Anthony the Great Parish, designed to help those requiring financial and spiritual assistancePerth; [[St. Anna Convent (Preston, Victoria)|St GeorgeAnna'sMonastery]], ThornburyMelbourne; and a parish in Canberra (which later moved to [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|ROCOR]]), purchased the property (along with rectory) adjacent other clergy, including Rev. Fr Geoff Harvey, who were assigned to the churchpre-existing churches.

In 1998, a parish at Mt Pritchard was founded and dedicated to St Mary, for the Dormition of the Mother of God. Bishop Gibran reposed on 16 January 1999after thirty years of service for the Church in Australia and New Zealand. Fr Elias Khoury was named as the temporary administrator of the diocese. The first services were held in the new church of St Mary's, Mays Hill, on Good Friday 1999.

In September 1999, the Holy Synod of Antioch decided to elevate the diocese of Australia and New Zealand to archdiocese with its own ruling metropolitan archbishop. Archimandrite Paul, parish priest in Washington DC, was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]]. He arrived in Australia and took possession of his the archdiocese on 29 November 1999. In December, he visited Newcastle and then Brisbane, and prompted the decision to build the church of St Paul in Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

In January 2000, Fr John Vesic (1999 prompted a non-Arabic-speaking priest), was appointed parish priest flurry of St Mary's Church, Mays Hillactivity. In June of the same yearDecember, Fr Nicholas Gan (in Met. Abp Paul visited Newcastle) was released and Brisbane, and prompted the decision to join build the Moscow Patriarchatechurch of St Paul in Woolloongabba, Brisbane. The Holy Synod of Moscow accepted him on 19 July 2000 Three parishes were formed in 1999, including St Ignatius Mission, along with the Parish of the Theophany at Mayfield WestCanberra, NewcastleBuna-Vestire Church, which had been under the care Bankstown (NSW) and St Herman of Bp Gibran on behalf of MoscowAlaska, Canterbury (Vic).

In December 2001January 2000, Fr John Vesic was appointed parish priest of Ss Michael and Gabriel parishSt Mary's Church, the first fully English-speaking Antiochian Orthodox parish in New South Wales. The new parish worshipped in rented premises in Homebush until 2005Mays Hill, when it moved to West Rydewhich is especially notable as Fr John does not speak Arabic. December 2006 saw In June of the same year, Fr John Nicholas Gan (in Newcastle) was released to join the [[Serbian Moscow Patriarchate. The Holy Synod of Moscow accepted him on 19 July 2000, along with the Eastern Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand]]Parish of the Theophany at Mayfield West, Newcastle, when he was replaced by Fr Luke Bell. After Fr Luke left which had been under the Archdiocese in late 2007, he was succeeded by Fr Antonio Cagnonicare of Bp Gibran on behalf of Moscow.

2001 was another time of great activity for the Archdiocese, particularly in New Zealand: St George, Auckland, St George, Wellington, and Sts Gregory of Nyssa and Marina, Diamond Harbour, were all founded in this year. In 2002Australia, St Paul, Dandenong (Vic) was founded; and in December 2001, Fr John Vesic was appointed parish priest of the newly-formed Ss Michael and Gabriel parish, the first English-speaking Antiochian Orthodox parish in New South Wales. The new parish worshipped in rented premises in Homebush until 2005, when it moved to West Ryde. In the meantime, the Church of St Paul, Brisbane, celebrated its first services were held in the their new church in 2002, with this church being consecrated in 2006. 2003 was a third time of great activity. The first English-speaking Antiochian Orthodox parish in Victoria was established, with Fr Geoff Harvey as the founding priest, under the patronage of St Paulthe Good Shepherd. Later, worship was moved to Monash University, with Fr Geoff becoming the first Antiochian Orthodox university chaplain in Australia. Also in 2003, two parishes in New Zealand were founded, Woolloongabbaalong with the Melbourne Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Brisbanewhere studies began in 2004.