[1] It is also intended to replace (in part) the federal jurisdiction with which state courts have been invested under the Judiciary Act 1903.

[2][3] Its first judicial officers were appointed in 2000; it first applications were filed on 23 June 2000 and the Court's first sittings were conducted on 3 July 2000 in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta and Townsville.

On 12 April 2013, in recognition of its increased jurisdiction and its role as an intermediate court servicing regional centres as well as capital cities throughout Australia, it was renamed the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and its judicial officers received the title "Judge" instead of "Federal Magistrate".

All three have subsequently (or concurrently) held the office of Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia.

They are: Former judges include folk singer turned lawyer and judge, Judy Small, who served on the Court between 2014 and 2020,[7] and Barbara Baker, now Governor of Tasmania, who served on the Court from 2008 to 2021.