Sunshine Coast RSL services club may amalgamate with sub branch

The Caloundra RSL Sub Branch is investigating whether to amalgamate with the Caloundra RSL Services Club, but has played down rumours a sale of the site was in the pipeline.

The future of one of the region’s largest RSL clubs has become clouded as an amalgamation with its sub branch is considered and rumours swirl the site could be sold off.

The Caloundra RSL Sub Branch has hosed down speculation a sale was in the pipeline but confirmed an investigation into the possibility of an amalgamation was under way.

Caloundra RSL Services Club chief executive officer Graeme Devin said the Caloundra RSL Sub Branch and the Caloundra RSL Services Club were two separate entities, with the club the business face and social arm of operations.

He said he was rehired by the club in 2017 because it had financial issues and a 2018 audit found the club was dying a “death by a thousand cuts”.

Mr Devin said the club paid rent to the sub branch and the sub branch was responsible for the building’s debt.

The chief executive said from 2008 until 2020 the club’s rent was $2.4m a year.

The Caloundra RSL Services Club may amalgamate with the Caloundra RSL Sub Branch.

“That was more than what they needed to pay their loan,” he said.

Mr Devin said in late-2019, the rent was reduced to $1.5m and despite Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 the club managed to turn itself around.

“We worked hard to make sure that people were looked after and we had a future,” he said.

“A lot of effort went into making it through Covid.”

He said he was hearing rumours the sub branch may sell the management rights of the club or sell the property but he was not sure of its next move.

“The sub branch is the voting members of the RSL, not the social members,” Mr Devin said.

Sub branch president Heather Christie said there was nothing for sale at this stage and the sub branch was looking into amalgamating the services club and sub branch.

Caloundra RSL Sub Branch president Heather Christie.

“It’s a long, in-depth process and we can’t comment until we’ve finished the investigation,” she said.

“It’s an in-house matter between the services club and the sub branch and we won’t be commenting further at this stage.”

She also declined to comment about building loan repayments or rent charged to the services club.

Ms Christie confirmed there were 1300 sub branch members eligible for voting and only sub branch members would be able to vote on an amalgamation.

Only people who have served in the Australian Defence Forces, or who are still serving, can apply for RSL membership and then nominate a sub branch they wish to join.