In 2002, Mater became an incorporated body, charged with the responsibility to continue the Mission of the Sisters of Mercy to "offer compassionate service to the sick and needy".

In 1906, the Sisters of Mercy opened the first Mater Hospital in a private house, Aubigny, at North Quay.

In 1928, the Mater Public Hospital installed Queensland's first deep X-ray therapy machine to treat cancer patients.

In 1987 Mater Children's Hospital established Queensland's first paediatric sleep unit.

In 2006, Mater Health Services becomes the first institution to win a Queensland Greats Awards.

[12] In July 2015, a truck collided with the overhead footbridge attached to the Mater Hospital in Brisbane which crosses Raymond Terrace, causing damages costing $170,000.

[14][15] In 2020, the 33-bed Mater Private Hospital in Gladstone was closed due to no longer being viable.