Bayside residents slam ‘archaic’ men-only rules of Sandringham Club

The Sandringham Club provides members with access to five tennis courts, bowling greens, a billiard room and cricket pitch located over a sprawling block of land on Beach Rd. If you want to use the facilities as a woman, however, there is one key catch.

A Bayside woman has expressed shock after discovering her local sporting club was a private men’s club. Picture: Supplied

A Bayside woman has expressed shock after her application to join a local sporting club was denied, upon discovering the established institution was a private men’s club.

The refusal, which happened earlier this month, has shone a light on the arcane entry rules of the popular Sandringham Club which boasts an array of sporting facilities – including five tennis courts, bowling greens, a squash court, billiard room and cricket pitch – as well as access to “some of Victoria’s best golf courses”.

The female resident, who recently attempted to join the men’s club located on a sprawling block of land on Beach Rd, said the single-sex rule was “extremely outdated”.

“They told me, ‘if your husband joins, then you can play’,” she said.

“They said he would then need to be there when we played and that we wouldn’t be allowed on court without a male presence basically.

“My husband doesn’t even play tennis.

“I think it’s ridiculous that someone who doesn’t even play the sport would be allowed to join, just based on sex, but the person who actually does play, couldn’t join.”

The men’s club is located on a sprawling block of land on Beach Rd. Picture: Supplied

It boasts an array of sporting facilities including a billiard room. Picture: Supplied

Sandringham Club’s website describes itself as a “private men’s sporting club, boasting on site tennis, squash, bowling and snooker facilities”.

“The partners and families of members are welcome at the club,” it states.

“Members can use the sporting facilities with their partners and families whenever they are available.”

A Black Rock resident, who recently went onto the club’s website to apply for a membership to only then learn that it was a male-only club, said the “archaic” rules weren’t well known in the community.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it when I saw it online, on their website, I was so taken aback,” she told the Herald Sun.

“I think if the broader Bayside community knew about this, there would be an uproar.”

Associate Professor of business law and taxation at Monash University Dominique Allen said there was an exception in Victoria’s anti-discrimination laws that allowed clubs to discriminate based on sex.

“It’s unlawful to discriminate on the basis of sex under Victoria’s anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods of services and this applies to businesses in general,” she said.

“However there is an exception in the legislation which means clubs can exclude members of the opposite sex from membership if membership of that club is only available to one sex.

“The club must make the rules of membership for the club publicly available.”

Associate Professor Allen said there had been efforts to try and remove these restrictions in Victoria, but for now it was permissible.

A Black Rock resident said the “archaic” rules weren’t well known in the community. Picture: Supplied

Associate Professor Allen said there was an exception in Victoria’s anti-discrimination laws that allowed clubs to discriminate based on sex. Picture: Supplied

Associate Professor in the school of social and political sciences Lauren Rosewarne said men-only clubs could “perpetuate inequality”.

“The idea that places are excluding people on the basis of sex, concerns me if the reason is just, ‘we don’t want to be around women’,” she said.

“It concerns me particularly around places that are also networking situations, because we know historically women have been excluded from lots of senior positions, particularly on corporate boards.

“And that idea that where those decisions get made are places that are only populated by men and that women don’t get a chance to be in those same rooms.”

Associate Professor Rosewarne said there needed to be adequate reasons for implementing exclusionary practices.

“So using female gyms as an example, you’ve got issues of women feeling harassed in mixed sex gyms, and therefore those female only gyms exist as a safe space for them. So that is a justification to me,” she said.

“I’m not sure that I can see solid justification for men wanting to be in spaces away from women.”

Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins said men’s only clubs were a “relic of the past” and “from a time when women were confined to the home and excluded from participating fully in society”.

“In 2025 this is a world that should stay in the past,” she said.

“Victoria is leading the nation in gender equality investment and reform, because we know that when women have a seat at the table, we see better outcomes for everyone.”

Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins said men’s only clubs were a “relic of the past”. Picture: Supplied

Sandringham Club president Dr Ian Irvine said the club’s purpose is to “promote members’ mental and physical health and be a force for good in the wider community”.

“The Sandringham Club has a long history as a men-only members’ sporting club, established in 1912 with a strong focus on tennis and squash,” he said.

“While this tradition has been a defining feature of the club for over a century, we are committed to evolving to better serve the broader community.”

Dr Irvine said the club has taken “significant steps” to make its facilities more accessible to a wider cross-section of people.

“For instance, women are welcome to use the club’s facilities by booking sports courts and spaces for meetings / functions with the manager,” he said.

“Additionally, we are running inclusive programs such as tennis and squash coaching for anyone interested.

“While we remain respectful of our heritage, we recognise the importance of fostering a more inclusive environment and are excited about the opportunities these changes bring for the future of the club and the community it serves.”

It’s understood there are around 30 single-sex clubs in Australia, most men-only.

The Australian Club, located on William St in Melbourne’s CBD, was established in 1878, describing itself online as a “private gentlemen’s club” that offers a “peaceful retreat from the noise and bustle of the city”.

It is one of multiple men’s clubs in the city, along with the Melbourne Club and the Melbourne Savage Club, with advocates regularly calling for these organisations to change their recruitment policies.

Another two CBD institutions, the Alexandra Club and ­the Lyceum Club, are exclusively for women.

Originally published as Bayside residents slam ‘archaic’ men-only rules of Sandringham Club