The hospital, then named the "Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children", was opened by Drs William Smith and John Singleton at 39 Stephen St (now 49 Exhibition St) in the CBD. It provides six inpatient beds and treats a great number of outpatients.

Mrs Frances Perry is elected as the first President of a ladies Committee of Management.

The hospital changes its name to the "Melbourne Hospital for Sick Children" ("Children's Hospital" made official in 1903) and moves to bigger premises at 13 Spring St. This doubles the size of the hospital and its capacity to treat both inpatients and outpatients.

The first "Hospital Sunday" appeal results in £223, much of which came from State schools.

Mrs Sarah Bishop is Matron and will stay until 1898.

The Children's Hospital moves to the former home of famous Melbourne judge Redmond Barry on the corner of Pelham and Rathdowne Sts, Carlton with 24 beds.

The first resident doctor is appointed.

An Infectious Diseases Pavilion opens.

Organised training of nurses begins and a uniform is introduced (paid for by nurses).

A three year training course for nurses is introduced for which a "Certificate of Competance" is awarded.

The first medical students are accepted at the hospital (but have to pay a fee)

The Brighton Convalescent Cottage opens in Holyrood St.

Much building work commences and inpatient capacity increases to 30 beds. New operating rooms open.

The hospital is officially recognised as a training school for nurses.

Nurse training formally begins.

The first telephone is installed at the hospital.

The first Honorary Pathologist, Dr. C.H. Mollison is appointed.

An antitoxin is first used for the highly infectious disease, Diphtheria

The hospital is the first public hospital in Melbourne to open a Radiology department under Dr. Herbert Hewlett

A new Outpatients building opens in Drummond St.

The hospital accepts its first female doctor - Mary Cowan.

A 3 week long bazaar is held at the Exhibition Buildings to raise building funds for the hospital. It was a landmark in Australian history and raised the largest balance ever attained by any similar charitable venture. New kitchens were built.

Dr. William Snowball is nominated as the first paediatric representative to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. He became considered as the father of paediatrics in Australia.

The first Honorary Dermatologist, Dr. A Finch Noyes, is appointed.

Qualified Masseurs are also appointed.

New medical wards open in the "Princess May Pavilion" on the corner of Pelham and Drummond streets, and babies are admitted for the first time.

The new three storey John Robertson nursing home opens in Rathdowne St.

A new administration block with medical staff accommodation opens in Pelham St. and the Pathology laboratory is rebuilt.

The Redmond Barry building is demolished.

New surgical wards, named the "Edward Wilson Pavilion" open and for the first time, surgeons and physicians are differentiated.

Dr. Reginald Webster is appointed as the first salaried Pathologist.

The first World War breaks out.

Vegetables and fruit, which doctors previously believed children couldn't digest, are included in patients diet for the first time.

The hospital opens the first babies ward in Melbourne after a long running appeal for funds. A special gymnasium and treatment room for Physiotherapy is provided.

Miss Grace Wilson is appointed Matron.

The Honorary Medical Staff sets up an Advisory Board for medical staff recruitment.

The first medical Registrar, Dr. Jock W. Grieve, is appointed.

The Auxiliaries provide a canteen for parents in the Outpatients Dept.

A 100-bed orthopaedic campus is opened in Mt Eliza caring for children with tuberculosis, osteomyelitis and infantile paralysis.

The Good Friday Appeal is founded by the staff at the "Sporting Globe", a Herald and Weekly Times publication, raising £450 for the hospital through a charity football match.

The first Almoner (Social Worker), Miss Isobel Hodge is appointed and a car donated for her use.

Mrs. (later Lady) Ella Latham was elected president of the Committee of Management

Nine-year-old patient Allan Goates is the first patient to receive penicillin from his doctor Elizabeth Turner. The drug dramatically lowered death rates, not only at the hospital, but around the world.

Dr Elizabeth Turner appointed as the first female Medical Superintendant.

10 acres in Royal Park is designated by the government as the site for the new Children's Hospital.

1948-1950. Chemotherapy used for the first time on leukemia patients, in the worlds first controlled trial of the drug by Dr John Colebatch.

1949 Dr. Vernon Collins is appointed as the first Medical Director.

A severe outbreak of polio occurs.

1953. The hospital received Royal Assent to change it's name to "Royal Children's Hospital", after seven years of lobbying by the hospitals dedicated committee.

Lady (later Dame) Elisabeth Murdoch is elected President of the Committee of Management. Dr. Margaret McClelland is appointed Anaesthetist-in-Charge.

Another severe outbreak of polio occurs. Later that year the Salk vaccine for polio becomes available in Australia.

Channel 7 joins the Good Friday Appeal, televising the event as an all-day telethon.

The new Nurse's Home on the Parkville site opens with nurses commuting by a special bus to Carlton.

The first patients are transferred to the newly completed hospital at Parkville.

Miss Joan Gendle is appointed Lady Superintendant of Nursing.

Parkville hospital (the site of current hospital) is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

Mrs Patricia McKinnon is elected President of the Committee of Management. Dr. L.E.G. Sloan is appointed Medical Director.

The first dialysis machine

The RCH celebrated 100 years.

The hospitals neonatal unit discovers new treatment called Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), which saves the lives of hundreds of premature babies. A Handicapped Children's Centre is established, later to be known as the Child Development and Rehabilitation Centre.

Rotavirus, the cause of a deadly form of severe gastroenteritis, discovered by Ruth Bishop. Work on a rotavirus vaccine begins.

The Mt. Eliza orthopaedic Section closes after 41 years. The government resumes the property as a Geriatric Centre.

The new North-West building at Parkville opens.

Conjoined twins (Foo) from Singapore are successfully separated (Peter Jones) followed by Melbourne conjoined twins Grant and Andrew Priestly (Nate Myers)

Ultrasound was introduced in 1977 after Radiologist Valerie Mayne secured funding to purchase the Australian made Octoson machine.

3 East Adolescent Ward established for patients over 14 years of age.

The Murdoch institute is founded with a generous bequest from the Murdoch family.

Final graduates from the last RCH School of Nursing

First heart transplant on a child, Michael Sofoulis.

The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation (for fundraising) is established.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment was first used at the RCH in 1994.

As part of an over all Victorian government strategy, the RCH and RWH merge as the "Women's and Children's Health Care Network"

First liver transplant performed on 10-month-old Jordyn Griffin.

The hospitals research institute and the Murdoch Institute merge to become the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI).

Funding announced for new hospital, to be constructed on a site neighbouring the current hospital.

Children's Neuroscience Centre opened.

A GP clinic is established near the Emergency Department.

First Run for the Kids.

RCH Chairman Tony Beddison AO, Premier John Brumby and Minister for Health Daniel Andrews unveil plans for a new RCH and turn the first sod on the new site in Flemington Road.

Children's Bioethics Centre opens.

The RCH Immunisation Drop-in Centre officially opened in October.

Professor Christine Kilpatrick appointed CEO.

RCH team successfully separates conjoined twins Krishna and Trishna in 32 hour surgery

Inaugural Dame Elisabeth AC DBE $50,000 nursing scholarship awarded

Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) implemented nationally for the first time. (Pilot in 2004).

RCH awarded prestigious Committee for Melbourne, Melbourne Achiever Award.

RCH Team awarded RSL ANZAC of the Year for their successful separation of conjoined twins Krishna and Trishna.

RCH becomes a member of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.