1870
The "Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children", opened by Drs William Smith and John Singleton at 39 Stephen St in the CBD.
Mrs Frances Perry is elected as the first President of a ladies Committee of Management.
1872
The hospital changes its name to the "Melbourne Hospital for Sick Children" and moves to bigger premises at 13 Spring St.
1874
The first "Hospital Sunday" appeal results in £223, much of which came from State schools.
1875
Mrs Sarah Bishop is Matron and will stay until 1898.
1876
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.
1878
An Infectious Diseases Pavilion opens.
Organised training of nurses begins and a uniform is introduced (paid for by nurses).
1879
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.
1884
The Brighton Convalescent Cottage opens in Holyrood St.
1886
Much building work commences and inpatient capacity increases to 30 beds. New operating rooms open.
1887
The hospital is officially recognised as a training school for nurses.
1889
Nurse training formally begins.
1891
The first telephone is installed at the hospital.
The first Honorary Pathologist, Dr. C.H. Mollison is appointed.
1896
An antitoxin is first used for the highly infectious disease, Diphtheria
1897
The hospital is the first public hospital in Melbourne to open a Radiology department under Dr. Herbert Hewlett
1898
A new Outpatients building opens in Drummond St.
The hospital accepts its first female doctor - Mary Cowan.
1900
A 3 week long bazaar is held at the Exhibition Buildings to raise building funds for the hospital. New kitchens were built.
1902
Dr. William Snowball is nominated as the first paediatric representative to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Melbourne.
The first Honorary Dermatologist, Dr. A Finch Noyes, is appointed.
1903
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.
1907
The new three storey John Robertson nursing home opens in Rathdowne St.
1912
Figure 1: A new administration block with medical staff accommodation opens in Pelham St. and the Pathology laboratory is rebuilt.
Figure 2: The Redmond Barry building is demolished.
1914
Figure 1: New surgical wards, "Edward Wilson Pavilion", opens.
Figure 2: Dr. Reginald Webster is appointed as the first salaried Pathologist.
1918
Vegetables and fruit, which doctors previously believed children couldn't digest, are included in patients diet for the first time.
1921
The hospital opens the first babies ward in Melbourne. A special gymnasium and treatment room for Physiotherapy is provided.
The Honorary Medical Staff sets up an Advisory Board for medical staff recruitment.
1924
The Auxiliaries provide a canteen for parents in the Outpatients Department.
1930
A 100-bed orthopaedic campus is opened in Mt Eliza caring for children with tuberculosis, osteomyelitis and infantile paralysis.
1931
The Good Friday Appeal is founded by the staff at the "Sporting Globe".
Miss Isobel Hodge is appointed and a car donated for her use.
1933
Mrs.(later Lady) Ella Latham was elected president of the Committee of Management
1944
Figure 1: Nine-year-old patient Allan Goates is the first patient to receive penicillin from his doctor Elizabeth Turner.
Figure 2: Dr Elizabeth Turner appointed as first female Medical Superintendant.
1948
10 acres in Royal Park is designated by the government as the site for the new Children's Hospital.
1949
Figure 1: 1948-1950. Chemotherapy used for the first time on leukemia patients, in the worlds first controlled trial of the drug by Dr John Colebatch.
Figure 2: 1949 Dr. Vernon Collins is appointed as the first Medical Director.
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.
1954
Another severe outbreak of polio occurs. Later that year the Salk vaccine for polio becomes available in Australia.
1957
Channel 7 joins the Good Friday Appeal, televising the event as an all-day telethon.
1958
The new Nurse's Home on the Parkville site opens with nurses commuting by a special bus to Carlton.
1962
Figure 1: The first patients are transferred to the newly completed hospital at Parkville.
Figure 2: Miss Joan Gendle is appointed Lady Superintendant of Nursing.
1963
The Redmond Barry building is demolished.
1965
Figure 1: Mrs Patricia McKinnon is elected President of the Committee of Management. Dr. L.E.G. Sloan is appointed Medical Director.
Figure 2: The first dialysis machine
1970
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.
1973
Rotavirus, the cause of a deadly form of severe gastroenteritis, discovered by Ruth Bishop.
The Mt. Eliza orthopaedic Section closes after 41 years.
The new North-West building at Parkville opens.
1975
Conjoined twins (Foo) from Singapore are successfully separated (Peter Jones) followed by Melbourne conjoined twins Grant and Andrew Priestly (Nate Myers)
1977
Ultrasound was introduced in 1977 after Radiologist Valerie Mayne secured funding to purchase the Australian made
Octoson machine.
1984
3 East Adolescent Ward established for patients over 14 years of age.
1986
The Murdoch institute is founded with a generous bequest from the Murdoch family.
1987
Final graduates from the last RCH School of Nursing
1988
Michael Sofoulis undertakes the first heart transplant on a child.
The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation (for fundraising) is established.
1994
Medical Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment was first used at The RCH in 1994.
1995
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.
2000
The hospitals research institute and the Murdoch Institute merge to become the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI).
2005
Funding announced for new hospital, to be constructed on a site neighbouring the current hospital.
2006
Children's Neuroscience Centre opened.
A GP clinic is established near the Emergency Department.
First Run for the Kids.
2007
The RCH Chairman Tony Beddison AO, Premier John Brumby and Minister for Health Daniel Andrews unveil plans for a new RCH building and turn the first soil on the new site in Flemington Road.
2008
Children's Bioethics Centre opens.
The RCH Immunisation Drop-in Centre officially opened in October.
2009
The RCH team successfully separates conjoined twins Krishna and Trishna in 32 hour surgery
Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) implemented nationally for the first time. (Pilot in 2004).
2010
The RCH awarded prestigious Committee for Melbourne, Melbourne Achiever Award, is awarded RSL ANZAC of the Year for their successful separation of conjoined twins Krishna and Trishna and becomes a member of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
2011
The new RCH building is designed.
2012
The new RCH building opens at 50 Flemington St, Parkville.