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==Diocese==
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 of St Nicholas feeling unwanted. As a result, St George and was founded in Thornbury, Melbourne, ordained in September 1972by Bp [[Gibran (Ramlawey) of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]]. In 1986, Fr [[Jack Witbrock]] served as [[rector]] of St GeorgeMichael's decided to purchase its own church 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 1994Dunedin, for the property adjacent to St George's (including a rectory) next 12 years until he was purchasedsucceeded 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, and with the older members of St Nicholas feeling unwanted; as a result, 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 years and served there until he was succeeded by Fr [[Ilyan Eades]]his 1987 retirement.
Fr Malatius worked very hard for St Nicholas, including going to Lebanon and Cyprus to help refugees of the Civil War to obtain visa's to come to Australia. After Fr Malatius left to serve parishes in the United States, Fr Emile Assaf was assigned to St Nicholas from 1977 to 1990. Fr Emile continued to serve newly arrived migrants, and also renovated and redecorated St Nicholas - rendering external walls, erecting a fence, replacing the floor, purchasing new pews, painting the walls with icons and, towards the end of his tenure, renovating the rectory.
In 1982, Fr Elias Khoury was ordained to the priesthood, and assigned to St Nicholas, Punchbowl. In 1985, he was elevated to Archpriest. In 1994the same year, Fr Elias Khoury began working with a new parish was established in Mays Hill and named St Mary's, for the Nativity of the Department [[Theotokos|Mother of Community Services God]]. The first priest was Fr [[John Shehadie|Hanna Shehadie]], and administered a new programthe community worshipped in Granville. In 1987, OrthoSt Mary's - now led by Fr [[Stephen Godley]] -Caremoved to Merrylands; also in 1985, designed to help those requiring financial a parish in Wollongong was founded and spiritual assistancenamed for St Elias.
1987 was a landmark year, with the Antiochian Orthodox Church of St George, Redfern, Sydney, being elevated to the Cathedral of the Diocese.
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.
The site for St Mary's, Mays Hill, was purchased in January 1991, with Fr Emile Assaf being transferred from St Nicholas, Melbourne, to pastor the new church with Fr Aziz Abwi. The first services were held in the church hall of St Mary's in 1994, with the first services in the church being on Good Friday, 1999.
In 1994, Fr Elias Khoury, parish priest of St Nicholas, Punchbowl, began working with the Department of Community Services and administered a new program, Ortho-Care, designed to help those requiring financial and spiritual assistance.
In the mid-1990s, changing beliefs and practises in the Anglican Communion, culminating in the ordination of women to the priesthood, caused a number of clergy to leave the Anglican Communion and join the Orthodox Church. Many of these moved to the Antiochian Orthodox Church, creating St Barnabas Parish, Gold Coast; St Anthony the Great Parish, Perth; [[St. Anna Convent (Preston, Victoria)|St Anna's Monastery]], Melbourne; and a parish in Canberra (which later moved to [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|ROCOR]]), along with other clergy, including Rev. Fr Geoff Harvey, who were assigned to pre-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.
==Archdiocese==
