A Chronology of Thursday Island
- 1606 Torres and De Prado pass through Torres Straits
- 1770 Lieutenant James Cook claimed the east coast of New Holland in the name of King George III at Possession Island
- 1792 Captain Bligh's second voyage through Torres Strait claimed all the islands he saw
- 1802 Matthew Flinders charted the reefs and islands in the Strait
- 1824 Booby Island established as a haven for sailors in distress
- 1845 Barbara Thompson survives the wreck of the cutter "America" on Price of Wales Island and was rescued in 1848 by H.M.S. "Rattlesnake"
- 1861 Pearl shell discovered by an American called Toy
- 1868 First commercial peraling station established at Warrior Island by Capt. William Banner
- 1871 London Missionary Society establishes a mission on Darnley Island
- 1872 Imperial Pacific Islands Protection Act annexes all islands within 96km of coast
- 1876 Government buildings moved from Somerset to Port Kennedy
- 1877 H.M. Chester moved from Somerset to Thursday Island. Hon. John Douglas chooses sites for school and Post Office
- 1879 Queensland and Coast Islands Act extended the Queensland boundary to include all islands of the Torres Strait
- 1881 "Pearl Shell and Beche-de-mer Fishery Act" afforded Islanders protection against exploitation
- 1882 Japanese, Malayan and South Sea Island divers move into Torres Strait
- 1883 H.M. Chester takes formal possession of New Guinea
- 1884 Queensland Coast and Torres Strait Pilot Service established. Arrival if first Catholic Missionaries
- 1885 Catholic Church built
- 1886 Torres Divisional Board formed - later to become a Town Council. First Post Office constructed
- 1887 Thomas McNulty, the first publican on Thursday island, died
- 1889 Government Jetty construction begins
- 1890 Cambridge expedition led by Haddon completes a study of Torres Strait Islands and their people
- 1891 Bank of North Queensland established
- 1893 Church of England Cathedral consecrated as a memorial to "Quetta"
- 1895 William Conroy, Senior Constable of Police was murdered
- 1901 Aborigines Protection Act passed. V.M.I. Hall constructed. Thursday Island becomes an official Post Office
- 1909 First scholl building constructed
- 1912 Thursday Island Town Council formed
- 1914 Anglican Diocese of Carpentaria assumes control of area of London Missionary Society. H.M. Chester dies in Brisbane
- 1927 Jubilee Celebrations of Thursday Island
- 1928 Torres Strait Reader Books published for use in primary schools
- 1939 Torres Strait Islanders Act providing for local government on each island. New Customs House built
- 1941 All civilians evacuated from Thursday Island
- 1942 Engineers Wharf constructed
- 1946 First civilians return to Thursday Island
- 1948 Island Industries Board established on Thursday island
- 1952 Thursday Island Town Council dissolved and Thursday Island placed under an administrator
- 1961 Australian Citizenship Right's Act grants Islanders Commonwealth franchise
- 1962 Australian/Japanese interests establish cultured pearl farms
- 1965 Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders Act grants Islanders State franchise
- 1966 Islanders granted repatriation benefits. First High School established
- 1968 National Bank moved to a new building on the site of the old Metropole Hotel
- 1973 Torres Strait College transferred to Bamaga
- 1974 Torres Shire formed
- 1975 New Main Wharf constructed
- 1977 New Hospital opened. New Engineers Wharf constructed. Centenary of Thursday Island. Cyclone "Otto" destroyed famous Wongai tree in front of Federal Hotel. Peter Goerman joined Island Industries Board as accountant.
- 1993 Historical Grand Hotel burnt down
- 2004 Gwen Maloney, publisher of TORRES NEWS, passed away
- 2005 Peter Goerman returns to Thursday Island for a visit