Woolshed on Hindley accused of racism after allegedly denying entry to Aboriginal people

An infamous Adelaide CBD nightclub has found itself at the centre of yet another controversy, denying allegations that it engaged in racial discrimination.

A notorious Adelaide nightclub has come under fire for allegedly refusing entry to Aboriginal patrons.

The Woolshed on Hindley has been accused of racism after turning away a group of clubgoers on Saturday.

But management of the club was quick to deny the allegations, insisting the club provides a safe and inclusive venue for all people and takes any concerns regarding discrimination seriously.

Shakira Bilney and Illara O’Loughlin said that they along with a group of relatives were among numerous Aboriginal people to be denied entry to the club without valid reasoning, despite paying for entry.

“We received a call from a friend that had attempted to enter the Woolshed venue with a few of his mates,” Ms Bilney said.

“He was shocked that they were turned away and was told they weren’t going to be granted entry because they were Aboriginal. He had called to give us a heads up.
“We were in disbelief, we had thought maybe there was another reason.”

Their group decided to try their luck, arriving around midnight to join the main queue.

Shortly afterwards, they were approached by one of their promoters who was selling express entry at an extra cost.

They paid the fee and were given stamps before being escorted to the express line.

Ms O’Loughlin along with another relative were granted entry before they were stopped by a male security guard and told to get out of the line.

Ms Bilney said the guard then demanded that everyone else, including another group of Aboriginal people who had lined up behind them, leave.

“We continued to ask for their reasoning and he began to say that it was management’s choice, we then requested to speak to the manager and be fully refunded,” she said.

The woman said she, along with several other Aboriginal people, were denied entry to the controversial club. Picture: Dean Martin

The group was then approached by two other guards who ignored their questions, making them feel “uncomfortable and as if we had did something wrong”.

They requested to speak with the manager and on his arrival were refused reasoning as to why they were being removed.

“The entire incident, the three security guards spoke to us with disrespect, disregard, and we were ultimately treated extremely poorly,” Ms Bilney said.
“We weren’t the only ones with this experience on this same night, other Aboriginal people were being removed and denied entry with no valid reasoning.”

While they were eventually refunded, the experience ruined their night and left them feeling defeated.

“I am absolutely disgusted and humiliated by the way myself, my family and my people were treated,” she said.

“(It) was a night that was planned months prior that was going to consist of nothing but an innocent gathering of family members to commemorate a milestone birthday.

“We made the choice to not let the incident ruin our night and decided to head to another nightclub.”

Woolshed management did not respond to questions from The Advertiser but took to social media on Thursday, denying that discrimination was a factor.

“This decision was made not on the basis of race or ethnicity, but under the venue’s longstanding policies, where management reserves the right to refuse entry in accordance with licensing obligations and crowd safety management – particularly on high-pressure nights such as Gather Round, which operates at a similar scale to New Year’s Eve trade,” the post said.

“Our management team and licensed security staff were actively working to maintain a safe, respectful, and enjoyable environment for all patrons and staff.

“We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive venue for all people, and we take any concerns regarding discrimination seriously.”

The club has denied any wrongdoing. Picture Dean Martin

Both Ms Bilney and Ms O’Loughlin said that before this incident, they had never had any issues with the venue which used to be their “nightclub of choice on a night out.”However, the incident has impacted them “deeply.”

“Our mental health has decreased since the incident, Illara made the choice to leave work early (on Thursday) due to emotional stress,” Ms Bilney said.

“We are still left questioning why we were denied entry.

“This has not only affected us but also our loved ones who have witnessed the impact on us.”

It’s not the first time the venue has been accused of discrimination with dozens of reviews online accusing them of racism against various ethnic groups over the past year.

In 2023, the club faced significant backlash for a “misogynistic” social media ad offering free drinks to patrons based on their bra sizes.

Following a Consumer and Business Services investigation, the club was found not only to have breached the General Code of Practice by offering gender-based promotions but also the Late Night Code of Practice by having insufficient CCTV coverage in the venue.

The venue was fined a total of $3897, including a Victims of Crime levy for breaches to the code.

Originally published as Woolshed on Hindley accused of racism after allegedly denying entry to Aboriginal people