Old Hunters nightclub in Sutherland permanently closed
Some may remember it as Hunters. Some of you probably don’t remember the nights there at all but it’s time to pour one out for the Whistler as what was left of a once-notorious Sutherland nightclub is finally stripped away.
St George Shire Standard
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A colourful, vodka cranberry-soaked era has come to an end now the nightclub formerly known as Hunters, Sphere, AKA, and The H is gone for good.
The infamous nightspot on Boyle St, Sutherland abruptly closed in May 2019, ending a long, loud history of bar fights, underage raves and horrifying foam parties in one fell swoop.
In February tradesmen were seen washing the Midori from the walls for good as part of renovations which began after LJ Hooker Commercial put the entire building on the market in November 2019.
In honour of the Whistler, here is a retrospective look at the boozy backdrops for wild nights past in Sydney’s south. Blow my whistle, b***h!
HUNTERS/AKA/SPHERE/THE H, SUTHERLAND
Here’s a haunting phrase that should strike terror into the hearts of many Shire residents – Hype U18s raves at Hunters.
Armed with point-and-shoot cameras, neon shirts from Supre and a hyperactive MySpace page, high schoolers in the 2000s were enticed to sweaty, horrifying underage raves at AKA – as it was then known – featuring middling Sydney deep house DJs.
“We need the young generation to keep our urban scene alive for years to come,” the promoters said hopefully on a blog post in 2009.
In later iterations as Sphere, messy foam parties with club-goers dressed in makeshift neon clothes – again, still – and celebrity appearances from former Home And Away actor Dan Ewing and 90s-era techno DJ Nick Skitz kept the madness going.
In its final form as The H, the club plugged itself as the Shire’s latest-opening venue with a 5am closing time and was set to host 90s American rap group Bone Thugs N Harmony until unforeseen circumstances scuppered their 2014 Australian tour.
The club’s final haunting dispatch in 2019 offered half-price cocktails until 11pm, free pool and rotating DJs. Rest in peace.
Before its demise the club regularly featured on the state’s list of most violent venues and was hit with licensing restrictions in 2012 and 2013.
COYOTES, CARINGBAH
Who remembers Thursday $1 drinks in the 90s at Coyts? Okay, maybe too optimistic.
The club formerly known as Coyotes lives on as the Caringbah Inn – and the irony is not lost on local mums from the Shire.
“You used to go to Coyotes foam parties but now you go to Caringbah Pub for Kids Eat Free,” the Mums of the Shire blog wrote in 2017.
“As you’re sitting there you look around and the memories come flooding back – you were young, dressed in sequined boob tubes attending the one, the only, Coyotes foam party.”
Local club-goers still hail the expertise of DJ Paul Geronimi – previously known as Paulie G – behind the decks, playing American Pie to close off a loud night on the dance floor.
An old unearthed sign from the venue reminds punters western style jeans were not permitted at the classy Coyts.
BEXLEY NORTH HOTEL, BEXLEY NORTH
It is but a suburban pub now, but in the 80s the Bexley North Hotel stage hosted some of Australia’s most legendary bands live and loud.
INXS, AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Mad Gorilla, The Skyhooks, Mental as Anything, The Church, Icehouse, Norman Gunston, Rose Tattoo, Mi-Sex, Men at Work and The Lonely Hearts were among the incredible talent to grace the local pub.
UK rock legends The Cure also brought international starpower to the venue with a gig at Bexley North in 1980.
The venue was colloquially called the Teddy Bears Picnic room for some time as hard rock acts took to a stage inexplicably surrounded by painted ghost gum trees and a teddy bear picked up off the side of the road sitting in the limbs.
In a public forum the pub’s 70s and 80s-era DJ Matthew Coombs said big acts could attract up to 1000 patrons at the Bexley North.
“On Thursday night it was rock night and Friday and Saturday night we would get 600 to 800 for a disco at the height of the disco era,” Mr Coombs wrote.
“Then in the late 1978 we started having bands – on a Monday night the big acts got up to 1000 in the venue.
“Great times in Aussie pub rock.”
SHARE YOUR MEMORIES
Do you remember going to Hunters, Coyotes or Bexley North Hotel? How about Adam’s Apple, Cronulla Workers, Hurstville Rivoli, The Forest Inn, Cascades, Promises or Dave’s Place? Share your stories and your pictures on our Facebook page or email editor@stgeorgeshirestandard.com.au.