A 66-year-old former Catholic brother extradited from New Zealand has been refused bail in a Sydney court over hundreds of abuse charges.

Bernard McGrath, 66, is in Australia after a legal bid to block his extradition failed in the highest court in the land earlier this month.

The matter was mentioned today at Parramatta Local Court in Australia.

He is facing a total 252 charges, including 102 counts of indecent assaults on males.

The allegations date back to the 1970s and 1980s.

McGrath, who is a New Zealand citizen, didn't apply for bail, which was formally refused.

The matter will return to Parramatta Local Court on December 29.