From Tea Plantation to Vineyard

I embarked on the greatest experiment of my life in 1974 when I left my home in Kandy for Melbourne, Australia after a short career in the tea plantation sector.

Australia was another Commonwealth country; English was the language we shared, everybody drank tea and cars drove on the left; I was ready to assimilate.

A shared interest between these two countries is Rugby Union. I was a graduate of Trinity College in Kandy where the game had been played since 1906; one of the oldest Rugby playing schools in the world. InMelbourne, I was welcomed into a local rugby club where I made friends who helped me adjust and assisted my career.

University education enabled me to prepare for business opportunities. In 1984 came the opportunity to buy a new car dealership in Casterton, Victoria. I worked hard to succeed and by 1989 I was the owner of a Holden Vehicle Dealership in Sydney’s northern suburbs. My business today, Peninsula Motor Group, based in Bankstown in Sydney western suburbs, is one of the largest privately owned auto groups in Australia.

As time progressed, I got married and had two children and as my business developed and prospered, I was able to help a myriad of Sri Lankans – both in Australia and back home. The Sri Lanka diaspora is diverse, vibrant and successful through innovation and creativity.

My passion for rugby continued as I moved from my playing days to administration of my local club. I was fortunate to sponsor Warringah Rugby Club for 10 years then I was elected to the Executive of theNSW Rugby Board. My role as Chairman of the Australian Rugby Union in 2005 and as a member of the International Rugby Board was the pinnacle.  

I consider my greatest contribution to sport as a foundation trust member of the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team (LMRDT) which has promoted rugby union among indigenous youth in Australia since 1992. It has enabled thousands of young aboriginal children, mostly from remote areas, to finish their education and to find work.

These positions enabled me to nurture and support Rugby in Sri Lanka and in NSW. In 2000 I was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for Services to Rugby which I received with great pride.

Since then, I have championed the 80/80 concept of rugby union. This format approved by the IRB means Sri Lankan players who are talented but lacking the physical bulk (like that of players from Australia orNew Zealand) can safely play the game they love. Through my local rugby connections, we raise funds to send equipment and coaching expertise to assist schools and clubs.

More than 20 years ago I was able to develop a vineyard and olive grove in the Hunter Valley of NSW which I named after theSri Lankan region where I had been a tea planter - Dimbulla Estate. This gave me great satisfaction and still brings back memories of my young working life.

The prestigious Hunter Valley Wine Show in 2016 was awarded the trophy for Best Wine of the Show to our Dimbulla Estate TempranilloShiraz 2014. It was a great honour and the first time that a blended wine had won the award. Previously, the single variety Shiraz had dominated the show.

My love for Australia dates back to 1969 when Bill Lawry brought an Australian cricket team to play at Trinity College Kandy. I remember queuing to get the signature of Doug Walters after the match. In the 1970s at a time when Sri Lankans were choosing to migrate to Canada, UK and US it seemed that I had become a fan of all things Australian so my destination was set.

An essential part of my daily life remains the traditional cup of tea but a glass of wine at the close of day is like the friendship between our countries, the older the better.