UPDATED 9.42AM | Vatican Treasurer George Pell must face trial on charges of historical sexual offences, an Australian court ruled on Tuesday, making him the most senior Catholic official to be tried on such allegations.

Magistrate Belinda Wallington handed down her decision that Pell's case will proceed to trial in a Melbourne court, following a month-long pre-trial hearing.

In court, Pell pleaded not guilty in a firm, loud voice.

In delivering her ruling, Wallington dismissed some of the charges levelled against Pell in the pre-trial hearing but said allegations of offences at a pool and at a church in Victoria state will be heard.

She provided no detail on the date of the trial.

Pell, 76, is on a leave of absence from his role as economy minister to Pope Francis.

He sat quietly behind his lawyer, wearing a black suit with a clergyman's collar, as the decision was read out.

Pell has been directing media inquiries to the Sydney Archdiocese, his last employer before he took the Vatican posting.

The Sydney Archdiocese had no immediate comment on Tuesday. Melbourne's Archbishop, Denis Hart, also declined to comment in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The pope has said he would not comment on the case until it was over.

Pell's lawyer, Robert Richter, had wrapped up four weeks of pre-trial questioning of accusers and witnesses by arguing there was no evidence to support the charges against his client.

Pell's defence raised questions during the pre-trial hearing about police procedure, the reliability of witnesses' memories and their psychological condition.

Richter said the evidence showed the worst of the allegations could not have occurred and he described the other charges as "reasonably insignificant".

During the pre-trial hearing, Prosecutor Mark Gibson had said none of the complainants had resiled from their allegations against Pell under cross-examination and Victoria Police Detective Sergeant Chris Reed refuted Richter's suggestions of serious flaws in the police investigation.

Pell was called back from Rome to his home country last year to face the charges.

- Reuters