About

Royal College Old Boys in Australia Association is an organisation incorporated in the state of Victoria , Australia. Membership is open to all past students of Royal College (RC) Colombo, Sri Lanka and Junior School formerly know as Royal Primary School (RPS). RCOBAA has been recognised as the sole representative organisation in Victoria of Old boys of Royal College by the parent body in Sri Lanka the Royal College Union (RCU).

The origins of the current RCOBAA date back to the late 1970’s when Old Royalists domiciled in Melbourne used to meet in what was very much a ”boys club” environment at each other’s houses. These were men who had joined Royal College in the 1920s and 30s. They were mainly social gatherings with old friends reminiscing about the good old days in Ceylon (with an occasional game of cricket) This nascent group was led by late Mr Edward “Eddie” Gray an outstanding Royalist who captained RC in Rugby, Athletics and Boxing and a former IGP and Olympian (1948 and 1950) in Ceylon. He and his cohort of friends formed the nucleus of this group. Coincidentally another group of younger likeminded Old Royalist from the Gross (Group of 1966) and the Olive Groups (RC Group of 1968) were having their own informal gatherings.

It was then decided to register this group as an association and the Royal College OBA in Melbourne was born in 1980 under the helm of late Mr Arthur Kenuman, with late Mr. Eddie Gray as the Secretary. Mr Dilip Somaratne was elected from the younger members to be their representative in the committee.

With the aim of fostering fellowship among the growing number of Old Royalists, larger scale and more formal social events were organised with the Annual Dinner Dance being the highlight of the association’s calendar.

The OBA was incorporated as RCOBAA under an act of government in Jan.1992 and has continued to flourish since then.

Along with fostering fellowship among Old Royalists, RCOBAA has been keeping the traditions and spirit of our old school alive in Melbourne by hosting annual events such as the Melbourne version of Royal Thomian Cricket match and the Bradby shield in addition to the Stag night. Members and their families are very much a part of these events. The annual general meeting of the association is held typically in September to elect office bearers and to present the annual accounts. The Eddie Gray Memorial oration and the “Toast to the teachers of Royal” have become part of the fabric that makes the AGM special.