At the end of the 18^th century, Freemasonry, under the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland, was experiencing a period of great progress and expansion. There is direct evidence that there were Freemasons amongst the crew of the First Fleet.

We know that Sir Joseph Banks, the noted explorer and naturalist, who landed at Botany Bay with Lieutenant James Cook, in 1770, was a Freemason.

We also know that it had been custom for many years, for Grand Lodges to issue Travelling Warrants to military regiments, authorizing the Lodge associated with that regiment to hold Masonic meetings, and to make Masons. Warrants were also issued to ships of the Royal Navy for the same purpose.

As early as 1797, a Petition for a Warrant to establish a Lodge was received from New South Wales, by the Grand Lodge of Ireland, although nothing was done about it at that time.

In 1800, Lodge St. John No.1, was meeting on Norfolk Island. It is believed that in 1802, Masonic meetings were held on board H.M.S. Glatton, and H.M.S. Buffalo, moored in Port Jackson. In this year also, a Masonic Certificate was issued, by French naval officers, to Captain Anthony Fenn Kemp. This Certificate is now in the State Library of New South Wales, and is the oldest known Australian Masonic document.

Several of the military regiments sent out on garrison duty to New South Wales, in those early days, had Masonic Lodges attached to them. Lodge No. 227, Irish Constitution, attached to the 46^th Regiment, and Lodge No. 218, irish Constitution, attached to the 48^th Regiment, are those most closely associated with the establishment of the first permanent Lodges in Australia.

It appears that the first steps to form a purely Australian Lodge, were taken by Lodge No. 218, Irish Constitution, attached to the 48^th Regiment.

In due course, The Grand Lodges of Ireland issued Warrant number 260, dated 6^th January 1820, constituting the Australian Social Lodge.

In 1878, the Lodge changed its name to Australian Social Mother Lodge, and again, in 1920, to Lodge Antiquity. It is now No. 1 on the register of The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales.

On the 12^th February 1824, the Leinster Marine Lodge of Australia was formed. Irish constitution Lodges were then formed in Windsor, Sydney, Hobart and Melbourne. In 1857, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Australia (Irish Constitution) was formed. When The Grand Lodge of New South Wales was formed in 1877, most of the Irish Lodges joined the new Constitution and , by 1885, all the Irish Lodges had joined, bringing to an end the Irish Provincial Grand Lodge.

The first Lodge, warranted under the English constitution, was established in 1828. This Lodge, now The Lodge of Australia No.3, on the register of The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales, was constituted under Warrant No. 820, and held its first meeting in 1829. Lodge St. John’s Parramatta, was opened in 1839. The Provincial Grand Lodge (English Constitution) was established in 1849, with six Lodges under its jurisdiction. It became a District Grand Lodge (English Constitution) in 1877, and so continued until 1888, when it then had 92 Lodges under its jurisdiction.

The first Scottish Lodge, St. Andrew, was established in Sydney in 1847. This Lodge later sponsored Lodges in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Brisbane, and Launceston. In 1877, there were 27 Scottish Lodges on the register of the Provincial Grand Lodge of New South Wales (Scottish Constitution).

In all, there were 64 duly warranted Scottish Lodges in New South Wales, between 1852 and Union in 1888.

The first genuine attempt to form a Grand Lodge in New South Wales, was made by seven Irish Lodges in 1847, when they agreed to aim for an independent Grand Lodge. In 1872, Lodge St. Andrew declared itself a Grand Lodge. In 1877, a Masonic meeting was called, and in due course a Constitution was drawn up, under the title of The Grand Lodge of New South Wales. It was fully supported by the Irish Lodges. Although the question of joining this body was brought forward in the Scottish Provincial Grand Lodge, discussion was not allowed. For some years, the District Grand Master of the English District Grand Lodge actively opposed the merger. Despite the difficulties that these strong oppositions caused, he new Grand Lodge of New South Wales expanded rapidly, so that by the time of the union in 1888, 51 Lodges were on its register.

In 1886, the Worshipful Master of Lodge Emulation, English Constitution, Worshipful Brother Taylor, discussed with the members of his Lodge, the question of consolidation of the various Masonic jurisdictions. This was followed by a circular letter to all the Lodges, then under English jurisdiction, requesting them to discuss the organization of the Craft of Freemasonry in New South Wales.

After several meetings and conventions had been held, it became evident by 1888, that there was a general desire throughout the Colony for a complete union.

The outcome was, that by 11^th July of that year, 70 English, 42 Scottish, and 49 New South Wales Lodges had accepted the Articles of Union which had been drawn up.

All the formalities were completed, and on the 16^th August 1888, the Brethren from all these Constitutions assembled in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney, where The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales was brought into being, and a Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers were duly elected.

On 18^th September 1888, in the presence of 4,417 Brethren, assembled in the Exhibition Building in Prince Alfred Park, His Excellency, Lord Carrington, Governor of New South Wales, a Past Senior grand Warden of The united Grand Lodge of England, was installed as the First Grand Master of The United Grand lodge of New South Wales.

At the time of the union, there were 80 Lodges under English Constitution, 55 under Scottish Constitution, and 51 under New South Wales Constitution. All but one, joined the union. There were some amalgamations, and 171 Lodges appeared on the Grand Lodge Register. The remaining Lodge joined The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales the following year.