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In 1971, in a split from [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|ROCOR]], a group of Orthodox faithful applied to the Orthodox Church in America for acceptance. A parish was formed in Bankstown, NSW, in 1971, under the rectorship of Archimandrite [[Veniamin (Garshin)]] and under the patronage of St Nicholas. A second parish in Brisbane, Holy Annunciation Church, was also formed under the rectorship of Fr [[Gregory Malisheff]].
In 1977 a third grouping, later named the Australian Orthodox Fraternity of St Michael, was formed in Sydney for the purpose of purchasing and organising another parish, under the rectorship of Fr [[Michael Mersher]]. In November of that year, Mr Verjbitsky contacted the Uniting Church and was offered a surplus Presbyterian church in Homebush. The building was made suitable for Orthodox worship, including an iconostasis, on [[January 26]], 1978. Fr Michael was the rector from 1978-80, Fr [[Theodore Michaluk]] from 1980-86, Fr Leopold in 1986, and Fr [[Igor Chlabicz]] from 1987-to the present.
Following the repose of Archim. Veniamin<!-- what year -->in 1994, the Orthodox Church in America was unable to supply a replacement priest for the Bankstown parish. The parish council of St Nicholas approached the Antiochian Orthodox Bishop [[Gibran (Ramlawey) of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]] and asked if he was able to supply a priest who could celebrate in Slavonic. Hieromonk Zoran and later Fr Nicholas Gan assisted on a temporary basis until Fr [[Mitko Machevski]] was appointed to conduct and commenced services at St Nicholason 10 August 1996.
The parish later formally changed jurisdictions to the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]]. Fr Mitko was appointed rector of the parish, which continues to use Church Slavonic and follow the [[Julian Calendar]].
