This was published 3 months ago
This 125-year-old bowls club will be sold for millions – after its secret buyer was revealed
By Stephen Brook and Sarah Danckert
The Elsternwick bowling club will close after 125 years after members accepted a controversial $15 million offer from Glen Eira City Council.
The vote came just six months after the club rejected the sale to the council – which was shrouded in secrecy at the time – when a large minority of members raised concerns about the process and future of the venue.
The historic Elsternwick Club. Credit: Wayne Taylor
Members of the Elsternwick Club, in Melbourne’s south-east, voted on the sale at the annual general meeting on Sunday.
Glen Eira City Council CEO Rebecca McKenzie said the council was “delighted” the Elsternwick Club board and members decided to offer their club site on Sandham Street, Elsternwick, for sale to the council.
“We expect to formalise the sale in the coming days and will issue a more comprehensive statement at that time,” McKenzie said.
The board and members of the club – which has onerous financial obligations from gaming machines – were split over the sale.
The club’s board secretary Bob Baxter was fatalistic ahead of the vote, saying it was up to club members to decide. On Sunday, 46 members voted for the deal, while 31 voted against. Baxter was contacted for comment on Sunday.
In December, a first vote on the sale was defeated when the result was a deadlock after four rounds of voting.
After abandoning its secrecy requirement, Glen Eira City Council met with members on May 20 to outline its plans, which include restoring the building and tearing up the bowling greens to create open space.
The club, which started in 1899 above a shop on Glen Huntly Road, has been located at 19 Sandham Street in Elsternwick – in a historic Italianate villa called Stanmere – since 1919.
Its 30 gaming machines were causing a cash drain as the club must pay quarterly gaming entitlements of $34,000 after it signed a long-term contract. The club’s previous board approached the council in August to discuss a sale.
“Glen Eira has the least open space per person in metropolitan Melbourne, so naturally we welcome the opportunity to secure the site for the benefit of our local community,” said Anne-Marie Cade.
Cade said the purchase would be funded by the council’s open space reserve – which is in turn funded by open space developer contributions – and be completely separate from the council’s operating funds. This money must be spent on open space and can’t be used to fund other council projects and services.
The council thinks the site is a “major opportunity” for community use and fits into its strategy, allowing it to preserve local heritage while increasing publicly owned open space.
Opponents to the sale formed a “Save the Elsternwick Club” ticket but were unable to swing the vote. A representative from the group was contacted on Sunday after members voted in favour of selling the club.
Money from the sale must be spent on a “like cause” according to the club constitution. The group against the sale had been concerned there was no clear plan for what would happen to the sale money. They also believe the club was not in imminent financial danger.
A leaflet released ahead of the vote by the Save the Elsternwick Club group read: “We want all members to enjoy and bowl at our club on our greens for the next 50 years.
“We are committed to our bowling teams and competition. We believe that our club can be a sustainable vibrant sporting and social venue for years to come.”
Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter.