The forerunner to SCAA, the Oil and Colour Chemists Association Australia (OCCAA), started in Australia in 1968, after previously establishing branches of the U.K. Oil and Colour Chemists Association. In 1990 the change of name to Surface Coatings Association Australia Inc. was implemented to describe more accurately the diverse interests and activities of the members.
This table shows a timeline of important events in the history of the assocaition:
| 1918 | Oil & Colour Chemists Association (OCCA) formed in London UK. |
| 1918 - 1946 | Australian participants in the Coatings industries became "Overseas" members of OCCA |
| 1945 | A.R. Penfold presented petition to Council of OCCA on for the formation of an Australian Section |
| 1946 | Australian Section of OCCA formed. Based in Sydney, with branches in NSW and Victoria. |
| 1951 | South Australian Branch formed |
| 1952 | "OCCA Review" newsletter published by NSW Branch |
| 1953 | State branches became individual Section of OCCA |
| Victorian Branch publishes "Victorian OCCA News" | |
| 1956 | Victorian Branch commences delivery of Paint Technology course under the supervision of London based "City & Guilds". |
| 1957 | Queensland Branch of the NSW Section formed in Brisbane |
| 1958 | NSW Section hosts Technical Exhibition |
| 1959 | Inaugural Australian Convention held at Leura, NSW |
| Queensland Branch becomes a Section of OCCA in its own right | |
| Western Australian members form a branch of South Australian Section | |
| 1959 - 1960 | Australian Sections united under an Australian Federal Committee |
| 1960 | Second Australian Convention held at Warburton, Victoria |
| Inaugural meeting of Australain Federal Committee | |
| 1962 | Western Australian Branch accepts "Section" status |
| 1964 | Australian OCCA "Proceedings and News" first published - replaced Victorian OCCA News |
| 1968 | OCCA Australia (OCCAA) established as an independant Association |
| 1974 | "Surface Coatings - A Complete Handbook of Paint Technology" published by OCCAA, the APMF and NSW University Press |
| 1983 - 1984 | Surface Coatings - 2nd Edition published as a 2 volume set |
| 1984 | "Proceedings and News" renamed "Surface Coatings Australia" |
| 1986 |
Incorporated under Associations Incorporation Act of South Australia |
| 1990 | OCCA Australia name changed to Surface Coatings Association Australia |
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