Club Sets Sail With $16m Development

Half a decade later and the southern Sydney venue is finally about to start embarking on the $16 million expansion of its clubhouse and marina.

“I listen to all the talk of housing shortages in the news and look at the current building application process and can’t help but think if they just shorten the process time we could radically improve the problem,” says St George Motor Boat Club CEO Adrian Vermeulen.

The hard work to get to this point has all been worth it though, with the development set to modernise the clubhouse, take further advantage of its 260-degree views of Kogarah Bay and increase its marina berths from 232 to 324 — making it one of the largest marinas in NSW.

Food and beverage is set to take centre stage, with a 160-seat fine dining restaurant a key part of the Club’s grand plans.

“At the St George Motor Boat Club we love our food, we run our own restaurant, functions and café, and are the contract caterers at both the Georges River Sailing Club and the Kogarah Clubhouse,” says Adrian.

“In fact, last year we made $15 million in food sales. We keep 22 cents in the dollar from food so it made sense to add the additional fine dining restaurant and enclose the current café.”

Rounding out the culinary experience is a new rooftop bar, which will have patrons sipping on their cocktails while taking in the stunning water views.

But patrons will be wowed as soon as they enter the new Club, with a three-storey glass foyer set to make for a grand entrance to events and the main area of the venue.

The Club will also provide an additional 55 car parking spaces as part of its increased marina berth agreement, which will be designed to improve the visual aspect of the front of the Club.

“The St George Motor Boat Club has a long and proud history of continuous progress and development from the 1920s to the present day.”

Not only will the community benefit from the social aspects of such a development, it will also receive an economic boost, with employment expected to grow by at least 10 per cent, with around 20 new positions created once the development is complete.

Having celebrated its centenary in 2021, the development is a fitting tribute to those who came before and allowed the Club to prosper into today’s 55,000-strong membership base.

“The St George Motor Boat Club has a long and proud history of continuous progress and development from the 1920s to the present day,” says Adrian.

“So great was the enthusiasm in those early days that in the early 30s, in the depth of the Depression, a dinner was held to celebrate the clearing of all debts from the Club books.”

When construction gets underway it will be the first time since 1955 that major renovation works have been undertaken at the Club.

And there’s no doubt their ongoing viability is ensured well into the future, with diversification already a key pillar of its operations.

“Our gaming revenue currently only represents 18 per cent of our Club sales, and together with our enhanced food and beverage offering and increased marina berths we’re really well positioned for any future challenges,” says Adrian.

Construction is expected to start in February 2024, beginning with work on the new main bar and lounge refurbishment.