Adelaide’s most exclusive clubs... and your chances of getting in
Some check which school you went to, others your commitment to Star Wars, but they all have one thing in common - they don’t let just anyone in. Weclome to the exclusive clubs of Adelaide.
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Groucho Marx famously refused to join any club that would have him as a member. But what about the clubs who wouldn’t have you if you tried?
This week, we went in search of Adelaide’s most exclusive clubs, learned some fascinating facts about their history and weighed up your chances of getting welcomed into the fold.
THE ADELAIDE CLUB
The first rule of The Adelaide Club is you don’t talk about The Adelaide Club.
This North Terrace institution is the last bastion of a bygone era when rich and powerful men sat in overstuffed chairs under the overstuffed heads of hapless African animals, sipping scotch and discussing which lands to conquer next.
It’s a haven of old school ties, old family money and old-fashioned secrecy where big deals are sealed (although nobody would be crass enough to actually mention money).
Oh, and it’s strictly blokes only, although the ladies are welcome to become members of The Queen Adelaide Club and there is some mixing of the genders these days since, according to the website, “bedroom accommodation (has been) brought up to standards appropriate for mixed use”. Considerate.
So how do you join? Whoa, calm your farm young gun, you’ll need more than some bone chinos and a pair of RMs to get past this butler. The official rules state: “A person should be invited to stand for election. The Proposer and Seconder should have known the candidate for some years and must vouch for the candidate’s fitness for Membership and that he would be supported in a ballot by the general Membership.” So … who do you know?
NAME: The Adelaide Club
LOCATION: North Terrace
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Alexander Downer, Christopher Pyne, Jeremy Cordeaux, lots of old blokes with roads and electorates names after them. Not Albert Bensimon.
- Nathan Davies
THE BUNG FRITZ APPRECIATION SOCIETY
It sounds like the title of an indie film by Wes Anderson, and maybe some day it will be. But for our purposes, this is a South Australian-based organisation for the appreciation of fatty luncheon meat. But not just any fatty luncheon meat, SA’s own fatty luncheon meat - “Bung Fritz”. According to the website, the society exists for the gathering of “like-minded people who come together for a meal, some drinks and a fun, friendly time with a sample of bung fritz by the hosting venue on the day for good measure”.
‘Master Bunger’ Ian Millen told The Advertiser the society “was formed over a few guys having a regular Friday lunch” around 2006 and has now grown to more than 80 members, who meet bimonthly at regional hotels, wineries and jockey clubs and hold regular fundraising events supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Mr Millen said the society last month had been looking forward to its annual “Bung Fritz Bung Off”, where members vote for the best Bung Fritz in the state (currently held by Gumeracha Butchers). But it’s all gone bung thanks to Covid.
Instead, the Bung Off will be rescheduled to the society’s annual “Fritzmas” meeting in December at the Gawler & Barossa Jockey Club, followed by the running of Bung Fritz Cup, also at the jockey club, in January.
We know. We know. You want into this secret smallgoods society immediately. But not so fast Sonny Jim. This isn’t the deli counter at Coles, you can’t just take a number.
You must be invited by a current member and endorsed by one other member.
“After a ceremony and a vote of acceptance, the prospective member becomes a member. Never to divulge the secret”.
NAME: The Bung Fritz Appreciation Society
LOCATION: Local businesses and wineries around Adelaide
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: As mysterious as the ingredients inside that weird orange casing.
Find out more
-Greg Barila
THE FREEMASONS
Depending on who you speak to, the Freemasons are either an ancient club of like-minded philanthropic types working together for the greater good or … the secret rulers of the globe.
Either way, seems like this ancient order might be worth joining, right?
Not so fast there stonecutter!
According to the Freemasons of South Australian and Northern Territory, you have to firstly be a resident of SA or the NT (check), of good character (um … check?), believe in a God or Supreme Being (sure, why not) and be over 18 (just scraped in).
So provided you tick all of those boxes then you can roll up to the Lodge in your tux and stroll in? Well, no. You have to be asked to nominate by a member of the fraternity, and given that Freemasons don’t generally solicit then it’s probably going to be up to you to ask, a process the Masons are calling To Be One, Ask One, or 2B1ask1 (that’ll get the kids in).
So if you don’t know who in your company or club is a Freemason, then how do you ask them? Aha! Behold their secretive ways!
Actually, you can fill a member enquiry form on the internet these days (although you will eventually need to be vouched for).
Provided you tick all the boxes and pass a members vote, you’ll go on to your initiation (which involves a rather strange ‘play’ where the inductee ‘dies’ and is ‘reborn’) and become a First Degree Mason.
NAME: The Freemasons
LOCATION: Global, with Freemason Hall standing on North Terrace
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Everyone from Matthew Flinders and Weary Dunlop to Don Bradman and Graham Kennedy.
- Nathan Davies
ADELAIDE MUSIC COLLECTIVE HALL OF FAME
OK, so this is not an exclusive club in the traditional sense – nobody cares which school you went to or who your dad was – but it’s still pretty tricky to become a member.
Founded by late radio legend David “Daisy” Day and driven by AMC founder Enrico Morena, the AMC Hall of Fame pays tribute to the greats of the South Australian music industry, of which there have been many.
The members of Cold Chisel are in there, so too The Angels. Archie Roach and his wife and collaborator Ruby Hunter. Patsy Biscoe’s a member, as is Sr Janet Mead. No Fixed Address, The Superjesus, Bill Chambers, Glenn Shorrock and John Schumann are all in the club.
And it’s not just musicians – veteran music writer Robert Dunstan, industry figure Peter Darwin and Myponga promoter Alex Innocenti are among the inductees.
So, how do you get in? It’s simple really – form a band, write some hit songs, have a long and influential career and earn the respect of your peers. Best of luck.
NAME: AMC Hall of Fame
LOCATION: Induction locations vary, keep an eye on the Facebook page
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: The who’s who of South Australian music
- Nathan Davies
THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF MAGICIANS /
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAGICIANS
Does it take you a really long time to remove a hanky from your pocket?
Do doves spontaneously fly out of your hats?
Do you often have nothing up your sleeve, do you walk around saying “Hey presto!” or asking random strangers to pick a card?
You could be a magician. But there are people who can help.
South Australia has, not one but, two associations for professional magicians - The Australian Society of Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians - both of which meet in the same disused WWII air raid shelter off South Road at Thebarton (technically Torrensville).
The shelter can accommodate about 25 people and features a collection of magic artefacts and photos dating back to the 1900s of notable Adelaide performers or world renowned magicians during vitis to SA.
The Adelaide chapter of the Australian Society of Magicians was founded in 1920 and claims to be the oldest, continuously operating magic club in Australia.
The local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, also known as the “Garden City Ring 148”, began in Adelaide in 1955.
Different histories but a single purpose; to build a community for SA magicians to meet, hone their skills, nurture new talent and ensure the art of magic doesn’t..... disappear.
The Australian Society of Magicians has 20 paid up members. Membership is $15 a year. They meet on the third Thursday of each month. Membership is open to any practising magician who can perform a 10-minute magic show.
The IBM also has about 20 members. Membership is about $200 a year but includes access to its online publication and other benefits. The group meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month.
To become a new member, you need to demonstrate a “significant interest” in magic through an audition for magicians, or a lecture or talk for wannabe historians and collectors.
The group is keen to hear from prospective new members, young and old.
Email ibmring148@gmail.com
NAME: The Australian Society of Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians
LOCATION: Old Air Raid shelter, South Rd,Torrensville
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Jim Bennier, Emil Ruch, Ted Barclay, Harold Jack Watson, Charles Breton, Fred Baker, Gene Raymond, Wally Speed, Bill March, Reg Hook, Ray Crowe, Gerry McCreanor.
- Greg Barila
ROYAL ADELAIDE GOLF CLUB
Whacking a ball the size of a large walnut into a hole with the diameter of a soup can is hard enough.
But getting onto the greens of South Australia’s most prestigious and expensive golf clubs is just as hard.
The Royal Adelaide Golf Club has been consistently ranked among Australia’s and the world’s best courses, coming in at 80 in the most recent Golf Digest magazine’s Top 100 layouts.
And the esteem in which it is held by the golfing establishment comes at great cost to those dreaming to be part of this private club, whose membership fees can blow a sizeable hole in one’s wallet.
You’ll have to cough up nearly $14,000 for a top tier membership, comprising an initial entrance fee of $8800 plus a recurring $5026 annual subscription, which affords seven-day playing rights, coaching and dining room levies.
Memberships are capped to ensure “all members who wish to play on Saturday, or any other day, can access the golf course”, according to the RAGC website.
But deep pockets are not necessarily a golden ticket to golf exclusivity. New entrants must be nominated by an existing member, who is not a relative, and such a nomination must be seconded before a committee vote.
Once in the inner sanctum there are strict rules, such as restrictions on mobile phone use so as to “not interfere with any other person’s quiet enjoyment”, and a dress code on and outside the course. Happy Gilmore-wannabes need not apply.
Visitors are welcome to play the course as a members’ guest and pay a $110 green fee. Guest players have included Justin Timberlake.
NAME: Royal Adelaide Golf Club
LOCATION: 382 Tapleys Rd, Seaton
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Shylie Rymill, Sir Thomas Wilson, Lady Britten-Jones, Sir Brian Swift, Ian McLachlan, Judge Hugh Burton, Bruce Carter, Adam Kimber, Tom Jonas, Didy McLaurin
- Renato Castello
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLUB
Public by name but this club’s foundations are deeply rooted in Adelaide’s private school DNA.
This is a club for old scholars who pay up to $330 a year to hang out and quaff nice wine, eat fine food and network in a beautiful historic property built for Nobel prize-winning scientists William and Lawrence Bragg.
Think of it as an Adelaide Club-lite.
The club’s genesis was a union between scholars of fierce rivals St Peter’s College and Prince Alfred College who had been kicking around the idea of forming a Saints & Princes Club. We know, crazy hey?
The idea was expanded to associations of eight other schools with shared values and in 1959 the club was founded, formally opening its doors in 1960 on East Tce, providing a place for school graduates to “coalesce and socialise”.
“The aim of the club was to foster a greater spirit of collegiality amongst the educated young men of Adelaide through their university studies and into their professional lives,” its website says.
But the boys’ club was overhauled when in 1974 founding school Kings College merged with Girton Girls’ School to form Pembroke College.
Today membership is open to all school graduates who must complete a membership form declaring their education, professional qualifications and any memberships of other clubs and associations.
You’ll also need the backing of an existing two members and the ultimate discretion rests with the committee, and “more than one adverse vote will exclude” membership, according to the club’s rules. Tough!
The club puts on regular members’ events, such as wine and whiskey tasting nights. Or perhaps you just want to neck a nice ale by an open fire.
The club has a scholarship trust providing support to students based on their academic merit.
NAME: The Public Schools’ Club
WHERE: 207 East Tce, Adelaide
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: You’ll likely find them at the Adelaide Club, walking the halls of the Sir Samuel Way court precinct or living in postcodes east of the CBD.
- Renato Castello
NAVAL, MILITARY AND AIR FORCE CLUB OF SA
If you like a man or woman in uniform, or want to be inspired by those who sacrificed their lives for this country, then this may be the place for you.
Behind the ramparts of a stone wall and within the confines of another of Adelaide’s gorgeous bluestone buildings is this “prestigious club” established in 1879 for serving and retired members of Australia’s armed forces.
Here members, often dressed in military regalia, rekindle friendships, reminisce about military careers, talk business, or probably just chat about the kids.
And forget about hiring a faux military uniform from the local costume shop soldier, here one must pull their socks up, shine one’s shoes and look sharp.
Children must wear school uniforms, smart casual attire or jacket and tie. “Fleece jackets, sweatshirts or any coloured casual sports/leisurewear, rolled sleeves or athletic footwear are not permitted,” according to the dress code.
The organisation is helmed by president Captain Steve Pearson, whose day job is looking after the Air Warfare Destroyer program, so expect to mingle with some heavyweights of the armed forces and business community.
But service with the Australian Defence Force is not a prerequisite for entry to this organisation that affords members reciprocal rights with more than 100 similar clubs across the globe, including the prestigious Army & Navy Club in London.
Perfect for the hopefully-not-too-distant future when we can all travel, again. Sigh.
NAME: The Naval, Military and Air Force Club of SA
LOCATION: 111 Hutt St, Adelaide
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Those who have served their country with courage and distinction. Frank Rowell who commanded 3rd Light Horsemen Regiment at Gallipoli and army nurse Vivienne Bullwinkel, who survived a massacre of Australian Army Nursing Service staff by Japanese forces in 1942.
-Renato Castello
FOUNDATION COLLECTORS CLUB
Montgomery Burns of The Simpsons fame once opined thus on the world of art: “You know, I’m no art critic but I know what I hate and I don’t hate this’’.
If you have similarly strong passions about what tickles your fancy in the arts world, then the Collectors Club might be for you.
Simply pony up a fairly substantial amount of the folding stuff each year, last rumoured to be $5000, and you get a chance to attend a swanky dinner once a year and vote on new acquisitions at the Art Gallery of South Australia.
Pre-pandemic the curators would scour the globe and bring back treasures to parade before the benefactors, pitching the attributes of their particular find.
Members get to vote on how to divide up the substantial sum accumulated through dues each year, and buy one, or a handful of new additions for the gallery.
Some of the more well-heeled attendees often tip a bit, or a lot, more into the bucket to ensure acquisitions can be made.
If you’re a bit lighter on funds, the Contemporary Collectors Club charges a fraction of the cost, and you probably get to buy weirder stuff.
NAME: Foundation Collectors Club
LOCATION: Art Gallery of South Australia
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Former Adelaide mayoress Lady June Porter, The Tweddell family, The LeCornu family, Ann Vanstone, Dr Kemeri Murray
- Cameron England
QUEEN ADELAIDE CLUB
Not to be outdone by the fellas, in 1909 the women of Adelaide, led by Margaret Annie Box, set up the Queen Adelaide Club on North Terrace.
“The premier location places us directly from Government House, and just five minutes’ walk from the Adelaide Club; then only a little further from Parliament House: the geographical apex of social and economic power and pleasure.’’
Ahem… not sure what that means but ok.
The club, like The Adelaide Club, was – but no longer is - a residential club, set up for and operated by “women who wanted a social centre with a certain standard of living and were prepared to pay for it’’ according to the website.
“A century later, our membership is larger and more democratic.
The Club is no longer residential; the neighbouring Adelaide Club offers mixed residential accommodation.
Today the Club is connected to a network of distinguished residential clubs across the world, and offers its members an ideal environment in which to play bridge, to enjoy discussions organised by an array of interest groups; and – above all – to savour its justly prized cuisine, and excellent wines.’’
We could swear the website designer is the same one who did The Adelaide Club site too, sometime in the early 20th century by the looks of it.
NAME: Queen Adelaide Club
LOCATION: North Tce
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Janet Grieve, Lady Downer (Mary Isobel Downer), Nicky Downer, Meredith Sarah, Kathleen Symes
-Cameron England
ADELAIDE BLACK POWDER MUZZLELOADING CLUB
Modern firearms may have dramatically evolved in terms of their sophistication over the years, but the basic principles of shooting a gun haven’t changed. Load, aim, fire.
The Adelaide Black Powder Muzzleloading Club is, ahem, sticking to its guns in that regard, practising an old school form of shooting using firearms loaded down the “muzzle”, as opposed to modern guns which are breech-loaded or loaded from the back end.
Think Davy Crockett, not Dirty Harry.
Founded in 1962, the club is based in the tiny Hills hamlet of Castumbul and boasts a clubhouse and covered areas for target shooting at 100m and 200m.
Member and former secretary Craig Duncis says the club has more than 30 financial members, many of them retirees, who love the social and competitive aspects of membership.
“We’re a very good family set up, up there, there’s kids involved and everything”.
Mr Duncis says the shooting is a “very highly skilled affair”, with competitors often shooting ‘offhand’ - standing up with no support - to try to hit a bullseye up to 200m away, which is even harder than it sounds.
Most members use replica firearms but “some have got originals which are right up there, they’re well over 100 years old and they’re still accurate today”.
“The accuracy sometimes is really, really good and it’s not a fluke.”
Keen to give it a shot? Go ahead, make their day.
Just make sure you have a current fireams licence and own and shoot a black powder firearm.
You’ll also need to participate in at least two black powder shoots a year and help out at working bees. Membership costs about $180 a year.
NAME: Adelaide Black Powder Muzzleloading ClubLOCATION: Gorge Road, Castumbul
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Folks from all walks of life
- Greg Barila
THE 501ST LEGION / THE REBEL LEGION
“I find your lack of detail disturbing.”
There’s super fans, then there’s the 501st Legion.
These are the hardcore costume creators who look like they’ve come straight from the Star Wars film set (some of them even did). These cosplay clubs span the world and spawned their own chapters here in Adelaide - The Southern Dewbacks and Ryloth Base. Back before the dark times, Adelaide had three pop culture conventions every year and the Legions would always set up an enormous base at them.
They’d build set pieces from the films, crank out their armour and robes, interact with the tens of thousands of fans and collect change for good causes.
They’ve run in the Pageant, welcomed movie stars to town and even gone on stage with Weird Al Yankovic as he sang “The Saga Begins”. Anyone is welcome to get involved, but to become an official representative demands a painstaking build of a film-accurate costume, scrutinised down to the tiniest detail by international judges.
The high standards preserve the illusion for the public to enjoy, but the level of meticulous craftsmanship is not something everyone can attain. Put another way: “You are on this council, but we do not grant you the rank of master.”
NAME: The 501st Legion / The Rebel Legion
LOCATION: Oz Comic-Con, AVCON, Supanova (when they were all still on), cinema premieres, charity events
MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT: Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rey, Chewbacca, R2-D2, a small army of stormtroopers.
- Tristan Willes
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