 In 1843 Polding, along with some Passionist priests, established a mission for Aboriginal people at Moongalba on Stradbroke Island, but their attempts failed and they left the island not long afterwards.He helped establish the University College of St. John, Sydney and Mary's College, Lyndhurst.Polding travelled again to Rome in 1846 hoping to obtain a coadjutor bishop and Benedictine nuns to help in his diocese.