Goju Ryu Australia (GRA) was founded by Sensei Sal Ebanez in 1986. Sensei Sal Ebanez is a pioneer of Australian karate, having started his karate training in Hawaii in 1961 before being drafted into the army for two tours of Vietnam. Sensei Sal then arrived in Australia and commenced teaching in 1970. Sensei Sal soon established himself as a strong karateka, conducting classes that only the strongest continued with.

Chogun Miyagi (1888 - 1953) was an Okinawan martial artist who founded the Goju Ryu school of karate by blending Okinawan and Chinese influences.

GRA’s headquarters is based in Albury New South Wales, with additional clubs in country Victoria, Metropolitan Melbourne and Western Australia. GRA has a strong historical foundation in both Japanese and Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate. Goju Ryu (meaning ‘hard-soft style’) is the basis of our system. A theory that has been expanded over centuries, its roots are traceable to the small island of Okinawa, regarded as the birthplace of karate.

(Photo 1) Chogun Miyagi (1888 - 1953) was an Okinawan martial artist who founded the Goju Ryu school of karate by blending Okinawan and Chinese influences.

(Photo 2) Sal Ebanez Sensei was born in Hawaii on 31 May 1941. In 1960, at the age of 18, he began training in Goju Ryu Karate Do. Sal Sensei trained for 7 years, and in 1966 he was awarded 3rd Dan by Gogan Yamguchi Sensei. In 1970 Sensei Sal opened the first country dojo in Echuca and established the country division of Goju Kai. Goju Ryu was later formed in 1986. As this stage, Sensei Sal was 7th Dan.