Darwin RSL reveals plan to rebuild clubhouse on old site as fire-ravaged former building is finally demolished

THE beleaguered Darwin RSL has revealed it will rebuild from the ashes of its original CBD site after months of drama surrounding its proposed relocation to The Esplanade.

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THE beleaguered Darwin RSL has revealed it will rebuild from the ashes of its original CBD site after months of drama surrounding its proposed relocation to The Esplanade.

The burnt shell of the old club on Cavenagh St was bulldozed on Thursday, prompting RSL president Stephen Gloster to confirm the club was seeking a developer to help rebuild.

A number of plans are in discussions, including the prospect of a high-rise residential block atop the new development.

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It comes after months of the RSL pushing for a new home atop the Darwin Esplanade, which council recently decided to green over, preventing the possibility of any future building on the area, which is understood to be a sacred Indigenous site.

Demolition and reconstruction of the Cavenagh St site will fall under insurance costs however the exact figure was not able to be disclosed.

Mr Gloster said the RSL proposed moving there as it was the “perfect site”, close to the cenotaph.

He said the club could not have done anything at Cavenagh St until the insurance payout came in June.

The fire-ravaged Darwin RSL building has finally been demolished, close to two years after a fire gutted the building. Picture: Che Chorley

The original RSL clubhouse on Cavenagh St burnt down in June 2018 after a fire, which was eventually deemed not suspicious, started in the building’s roof cavity.

“We’ve always had Cavenagh St as our back-up because we own the site. It’s been pulled down for quite a while now, it’s a sign that we have to move on,” Mr Gloster said.

He said the club was open to ideas but wanted to remain similar to the original model and could include pokie machines.

“It’ll be for office and club and mixed use, similar to what we had before,” he said.

“Whatever the members vote on is what we’ll do, it’s up to the members to decide.”

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said returning to Cavenagh St would be a good move for the RSL.

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“It’s central, it’s brand new and if they promote it properly as a family venue rather than a pokies venue … it’ll be really, really good,” he said.

“They had a proposal that didn’t even come to council because of the emerging issues but going back to where they were, to somewhere that will be purpose-built, it’s a very good idea.”