Brimbank City Council confirms notorious Legacy Boxing Gym with neo-Nazi links vacated Sunshine West facility

An infamous boxing gym in Melbourne’s west, which hosted several neo-Nazi events, has closed down as the landlord vowed to be “more selective” with future tenants.

Brimbank City Council confirmed the Legacy Boxing Gym had vacated the Sunshine West facility as protesters claim the landlord will be more selective of future tenants. Picture: Supplied

An infamous boxing gym in Melbourne’s west that hosted a number of neo-Nazi events has closed down as the landlord vowed to be “more selective” with future tenants.

Legacy Boxing Gym in Sunshine West was the subject of widespread condemnation after revelations it was linked to some of Victoria’s most notorious far-right extremists in late 2022.

The gym’s ABN was cancelled last May, but protests were held throughout 2023 amid revelations people with links to neo-Nazi organisations continued to gather there as recently as November.

Protesters rallied after word the National Socialist Network had organised a ‘white power lifting’ recruitment event at the Sunshine West facility last July. Picture: Tony Gough

Australian white supremacist groups, the European Australian Movement and National Socialist Network, hosted a “white power lifting meet” at the gym last July which sparked another protest.

Maribyrnong councillor — from the neighbouring local government area — Jorge Jorquera was among many calling for the gym to be evicted from the premises and encouraged protesters to pressure Brimbank Ccouncil and the owner.

Mr Jorquera celebrated the news with followers this week and thanked the community for its constant pressure.

Maribyrnong councillor Jorge Jorquera celebrated the news Legacy Boxing Gym had vacated its premises in Melbourne's west. Picture: Supplied.

“News has emerged through Brimbank Council Legacy Boxing Gym operating in Sunshine West as a Nazi training facility has closed,” Mr Jorquera said.

“This follows the refusal of the owner of the site to offer the “tenants” a new lease.”

A petition established by the Victorian Pride Lobby last year garnered more than 1600 online signatures and in an update thanked supporters after the year-long campaign.

“The owner has also committed to be more selective with future tenants,” the update read.

“We will continue to investigate where the neo-Nazis have moved to and close that down too – just like their bunkers in Cheltenham, Ashfield, and Rowville.

“Neo-Nazis have no place among us and we stand together against hatred and intolerance in all its forms.”

Petition organisers have celebrated the news after what they say was a year-long campaign. Picture: Tony Gough

Brimbank Council was criticised last year because it claimed it could not provide specific details about an investigation by its planning and compliance department into alleged breaches of the gym’s planning permit.

Ahead of its October meeting, Mr Jorquera wrote to the council requesting a statement of condemnation and asked Brimbank to revoke its permits.

At the time, the council said it had made a statement at its first meeting following the revelations and had repeated that sentiment in a number of media statements and responses to public questions.

The council’s director of city futures Kelvin Walsh, said it did not have the power to revoke or cancel a planning permit under the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

“Council condemns any intolerant, racist or fascist activity – or sentiment – within Brimbank, and in any other place,” Mr Walsh said.

He said the council was notified last month the tenants had vacated.