The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists - RANZCOG
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) was formed on 23 October 1998 with the amalgamation of the two former Colleges, The Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RACOG) and The Royal New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RNZCOG).
The Royal Australian College
The Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists was formally established in August 1978. In 1980 the prefix 'Royal' was acquired and the College became The Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RACOG). The new College replaced the former Australian Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in London.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College
The New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists was formally established in January 1982. The prefix ‘Royal’ was acquired in 1984 and the College became the Royal New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RNZCOG) The new College replaced the former New Zealand Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), in London.
Previous governing bodies
In 1932 the British College (later the RCOG) established the Dominion Reference Committees in Australia, Canada, South Africa, India and New Zealand. These committees consisted of members in each country nominated by the RCOG. Their main role was to advise the RCOG on the character and suitability of candidates for the Membership examination and to make recommendations for promotion to Fellowship.
In 1947 the RCOG raised the status of the Australian Reference Committee with the formation of a provisional Australian Regional Council (ARC), which became official in 1949. The ARC took over the functions of the former Australian Reference Committee, acting as a Standing Committee of the RCOG, its members elected by local Fellows and Members. The RCOG Council controlled the ARC, which consisted of a council, standing committees and six state committees.
Similarly the New Zealand Reference Committee, formed in 1932, had its status raised when it provisionally became the New Zealand Regional Council (NZRC) in 1948. The NZRC was formally inaugurated in 1951.
The above regional councils were established by the RCOG to further the objects of the College in Australia and New Zealand.*
*Super Ardua: The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Australia, 1929-79, McDonald, Cope & Forster
College House
Initially the College occupied premises at ‘Old’ College House, 8 Latrobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria. In 1983 the College moved to its current headquarters at 254 Albert Street, East Melbourne. College House was built in 1873. An additional wing, which includes the Frank Forster Library, was added in 1988. The building at 260 Albert Street was purchased in 1991 and the buildings underwent further renovations in 1997.
