Circular Head RSL Sub Branch closes the doors to its club headquarters

Rising costs and a lack of volunteers have resulted in an RSL sub-branch closing the doors of its well-loved watering hole.

The Circular Head RSL Sub Branch club headquarters. Picture: Supplied.

An RSL club has had to close the doors to its headquarters.

Thursday was the last day the Circular Head RSL Sub-Branch at Smithton opened.

While the club building is closed, the sub-branch will remain operational.

Sub-branch president Jason Chatwin said that rising costs had led to the club building’s closure.

“There’s nowhere for members and the community to go to catch up and offer wellbeing services,” Mr Chatwin said.

RSL Tasmania CEO John Hardy at the Hobart Cenotaph. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Do we drag people from the street and empty their pockets? What do you do?

“It’s very disappointing it’s come to this, but it’s a sign of the times.”

Mr Chatwin said the club would hold an extraordinary general meeting on February 11 to discuss options.

“But this is what’s going to happen; there’s a lack of volunteers,” he said. “The people that are putting their hand up and having a go are over 50 and working 40 to 50 hours a week.

“People pretty much under the age of 30 won’t volunteer because there’s nothing in it for them.

“You can’t keep flogging 60 and 70-year-olds.”

RSL Tasmania chief executive John Hardy said that since 2020, two sub-branches, Glenorchy and Huon, had closed their doors.

“It’s fair to say that in late 2020, RSL Tasmania faced a very different question, one of survival,” Mr Hardy said.

“Now, however, we face a brighter future as we look towards 2024 and beyond.”

There are an estimated 17,500 current and ex-service members around Tasmania.

Mr Hardy said that RSL membership numbers had been increasing.

“Our current membership for 2024 is 68 per cent higher than this time last year and up 44 per cent on 2022,” he said.

“We’re also encouraged that younger veterans – aged between 20 and 40 – joining the RSL have also increased by 60 per cent from this time last year.

“There is much to do and a long way to go, but we are delighted to be going in the right direction.

“Together, we can make Tasmania a place where veterans and their families can thrive.”