Narrabeen RSL: Property developer wants to bulldoze former ‘Razza’ to build homes

The future of what was once a beloved Sydney RSL club, which struggled financially due to the Covid pandemic, can be revealed after a property developer lodged an application to have it bulldozed.

A property developer, who bought the financially troubled Narrabeen RSL club for $15.4m, wants to knock it down and subdivide the land for housing. Picture: Supplied

A property developer wants to bulldoze the beloved former Narrabeen RSL Club, famed for its live music and eclectic furniture, to make way for a housing estate.

The new owners of the land, in the backstreets of North Narrabeen, have submitted a demolition application with the council.

Documents lodged with the DA revealed that the developer, who bought the 1.88ha block on Nareen Pde for $15.4m in October 2024, want to bulldoze the site so it could eventually be subdivided for housing.

“The demolition works are a precursor to a separate development application proposing the residential subdivision of land,” according to a statement of environmental effects.

There had been speculation that the site may have been transformed into a healthcare, aged care facility or a childcare centre.

The 'Sunk' bar, with its loungeroom furniture at Narrabeen RSL, was voted Best Bar on the northern beaches by Manly Daily readers. Picture: Narrabeen RSL

Savills Australia, the real estate agency that sold the property, described the new buyer as a “local developer”.

Narrabeen RSL Memorial & Recreation Club, known to locals as “The Razza”, was listed for sale in July last year after it went into voluntary administration in early 2022.

The site of the former Narrabeen RSL site at North Narrabeen that is proposed to become a residential subdivision. Picture: Supplied

Even though it had about 3500 members the club, which opened in 1947, had been struggling financially after being smashed by repeated Covid lockdowns.

Despite looking at options to amalgamate with other northern beaches’ clubs or rent the premises to another organisation, owners the Narrabeen RSL sub-branch — a branch of RSL NSW — decided to sell.

The Manly Daily reported in February 2022 that the club, which had boasted a healthy live music and cocktail bar scene, had closed its doors “temporarily” because of poor turnover and a massive drop in patronage due to the pandemic.

In a message to members the club’s board of directors said, at the time, that it faced an “uncertain future”.

Members and supporters at the "last drinks" at the Narrabeen RSL Club on February 6, 2022, before it closed its doors and went into Voluntary Administration a month later. Picture: Narrabeen RSL Club

The club’s general manger, Tracey Mihjalovic, predicted in March 2022 that the then Coalition state government’s ongoing restrictions on singing and dancing in clubs would also spell the end for the “The Razza” — which had become a popular live music and community hub.

Its “Sunk” cocktail bar was voted the best on the Northern Beaches in 2021 by Manly Daily readers.

As the result of the Covid Omicron wave, the club had to cancel live music events. The club’s restaurant also had to close on occasion due to staff shortages caused by illness.

The Narrabeen RSL Club was a popular community hub, but struggled due to the Covid pandemic. Picture: Narrabeen RSL Club

“There’s very little money coming over the bar,” Ms Mihjalovic said in February 2022. “We’re having to pay staff to stand around.”

The club’s Board of Directors “temporarily” closed The Razza from February 6, 2022.

It went into voluntary administration soon after.

In a statement released in March 2022, RSL NSW said that, as a charity, it had a duty of care to ensure that “optimal income is achieved from its assets so that it can continue to support and provide services to veterans and current serving members of the Australian Defence Force, and their families”.

Originally published as Narrabeen RSL: Property developer wants to bulldoze former ‘Razza’ to build homes