Thread: Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes

A social, fraternal, philanthropic order for adult males. Not as secretive as Freemasonry.

When I was a young bloke I thought the point of being a Buff was to drink grog on Sundays. Every Buffalo Hall one drove past on a Monday morning had an impressive number of empty kegs awaiting collection. The Qld. liquor laws of the time had some strange exemptions to the usual "no smiling on Sundays" laws of the era. Much like bowls clubs. Buffs could serve grog for two hours after a lodge was held. so a canny club manager scheduled lodge meetings one after the other all Sunday.

I remember signs in pubs in the 60's "Buffaloes meet here"
'.W.

I knew a bloke who was in the Buffs in Ireland, when he moved here, he transferred lodges.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Anyone heard of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes?
I just found out my grandfather was a member.

My grandmother died last year and the family were sorting through her things, and came across an old port.
Inside was various paperwork, membership cards, rule books etc, as well as ceremonial accoutrements (medals and associated regalia) belonging to my grandfather. These date from the 1950s's.


And another thing I just found out.. my grandfathers real first name was Desmond. We'd always known him by 'George' which is actually his second name.


The RAOB. Interesting stuff.

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes - Wikipedia

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes - Grand Lodge of QueenslandRoyal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes

RAOB

Desmond.! What a great name & I wonder if he was also named after Captain Desmond VC, a Military hero & sexually attractive womaniser of the Indian NW Frontier in days of yore, (if his birth date was around 1936 then it is a safe bet it was) & the subject of a number of novels by the Author Maude Diver? Google her & Captain Desmond VC.

I will have to check but I am sure there was an old weatherboard building on Targo St. (in Bundy) with "ROAB" over the door.

There was a RAOB (buff) club in Broken Hill when I grew up.

It was always a secret what happened there but the hall was regularly hired out for auspicious occasions.

I was persuaded to join the lodge Black Swan when working in Perth WA in 69 by a bloke that lived in the same boarding house. I wasnt sure what his motive was but I joined up and learnt the secret passwords etc. Went to a couple of meetings but got a job in PNG so left the area.
Cant remember if one joins for life or what

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

There was a RAOB (buff) club in Broken Hill when I grew up.

It was always a secret what happened there but the hall was regularly hired out for auspicious occasions.

Auspicious or Suspicious??



Sounds a bit like the "Gollywog Club" at the Breakout Creek ( AKA River Torrens,) West Beach in Adelaide. As Sea Scouts, our boat shed was within aprox 50 m from their shed. We imagined all sorts of stuff going on inside, no proof mind you, just teenage imaginations.

I wonder if they ever wondered what we got up to?

Never had a problem with them in regards to noise, drunkenness etc but they always got in first with the best sea front car parks.

After many years of "co-habiting" with the Gollywogs we never did get a hint. BUGGER!

One of life's mysteries, not unless one of you lot was a "Gollywog" & can spill the beans.

Edited. It appears as though they just moved on to another location. Seems it was a Bachelor's Club so probably our guesswork wasn't far wrong.Gollywog Bachelor Club - Social Clubs - 358 Port Rd, Hindmarsh South Australia - Phone Number - Yelp