In 1842 Rome subdivided the vast diocese of Sydney thereby creating the diocese of Adelaide and Bishop Francis Murphy (1842-1858) was appointed as the first Bishop of Adelaide.  
Adelaide remained a diocese of Sydney until 1887 when, following a recommendation from the Bishop's Plenary Council of 1885, Adelaide was made an Archdiocese by Rome. The documents arrived in Australia in 1887 and Adelaide’s fourth Bishop, Bishop Christopher Reynolds, became the first Archbishop on 10th May that same year.
At the same time Port Augusta was made a separate Diocese and South Australia became an ecclesiastical province, which it remains today.

    Bishops and Archbishops of Adelaide
    Bishop Francis Murphy, 1844 – 1858      

    Bishop Patrick Geoghegan, 1859 – 1864     

    Bishop Lawrence Sheil, 1866 – 1872     

    Archbishop Christopher Reynolds, 1873 – 1893      

    Archbishop John O’Reily, 1895 – 1915     

    Archbishop Robert Spence, 1915 – 1934     

    Archbishop Andrew Killian, 1934 – 1939        

    Archbishop Matthew Beovich, 1939 – 1971     

    Archbishop James Gleeson, 1971 – 1985

    Bishop (Auxiliary) Philip Kennedy, 1973 – 1982
    (Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Gleeson)    

    Archbishop Leonard Faulkner, 1985 – 2001
    
    Archbishop Philip Wilson, 2001 –  

    Bishop (Auxiliary) Gregory O’Kelly, 2006 -
    (Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Wilson)