| Ex officio primates |
| From |
Until |
Incumbent |
Notes |
| 1847 |
1849 |
William Broughton, Bishop of Australia |
Only Primate of Australasia. |
| 1849 |
1853 |
William Broughton, Bishop of Sydney |
| 1854 |
1882 |
Frederic Barker, Bishop of Sydney |
First Primate of Australia ex officio as Bishop of Sydney. |
| 1884 |
1889 |
Alfred Barry, Bishop of Sydney |
Ex officio primate as Bishop of Sydney. |
| 1890 |
1897 |
Saumarez Smith, Bishop of Sydney |
Ex officio primate as Bishop/Archbishop of Sydney; died in office. |
| 1897 |
1909 |
Saumarez Smith, Archbishop of Sydney |
| Elected primates |
| From |
Until |
Incumbent |
Notes |
| 1910 |
1933 |
John Wright, Archbishop of Sydney |
Also Archbishop of Sydney since 1909; died in office. |
| 1935 |
1946 |
Henry Le Fanu, Archbishop of Perth |
Also Archbishop of Perth since 1929; died in office. |
| 1947 |
1958 |
Howard Mowll, Archbishop of Sydney |
Also Archbishop of Sydney since 1933; died in office. |
| 1959 |
1966 |
Hugh Gough, Archbishop of Sydney |
Also Archbishop of Sydney since 1959. |
| 1966 |
1970 |
Philip Strong, Archbishop of Brisbane |
Also Archbishop of Brisbane since 1962. |
| 1971 |
1977 |
Sir Frank Woods, Archbishop of Melbourne |
Also Archbishop of Melbourne since 1958; knighted in 1972. |
| 1978 |
1982 |
Sir Marcus Loane, Archbishop of Sydney |
Also Archbishop of Sydney since 1966; knighted in 1976. |
| 1982 |
1989 |
Sir John Grindrod, Archbishop of Brisbane |
Also Archbishop of Brisbane since 1980; knighted in 1983. |
| 1990 |
1999 |
Keith Rayner, Archbishop of Melbourne |
Also Archbishop of Melbourne since 1990. |
| 2000 |
2005 |
Peter Carnley, Archbishop of Perth |
Also Archbishop of Perth since 1981. |
| 2005 |
4 July 2014[1] |
Phillip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane |
Also Archbishop of Brisbane since 2002; first primate to serve a limited (9-year) term. |
| 4 July 2014[1] |
onwards |
Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne |
Also Archbishop of Melbourne. |