At the corner of Bronte Road in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, a quiet but significant transformation has taken place.

Club Bondi Junction, once facing the same slow decline that shuttered many RSL clubs across New South Wales, now stands ten storeys tall, a striking new hybrid of community, commercial, and residential space.

The story behind the club’s rebirth is both personal and pragmatic. In this Market Insights episode, Club President Bill Harrigan shares the decades-long journey that took the club from the brink of closure to a future-proofed development, anchored by apartments and bolstered by a savvy partnership with Capital Corporation.

Harrigan, a former federal police officer turned club secretary in the mid-90s, recounts how a perfect storm of regulatory changes, pokie tax increases, and dwindling membership pushed the once-thriving RSL into unsustainable territory.

“He and I both realized that we couldn't sustain having two businesses with one propping up the other,” he says, referring to the club's dependency on rental income from nearby shops.

The turning point came in 2015 when then-mayor Sally Betts called with long-awaited news: height restrictions along Bronte Road were being lifted. This opened the door, literally and figuratively, to a vertical redevelopment that could generate real long-term value.

“It was now time to get serious about it.,” Harrigan reflects.

From there, the club launched a competitive selection process, ultimately choosing Capital Bluestone (now Capital Corporation) as its development partner, a decision guided by respected project manager Bill Stinson, known for his ability to save costs and navigate complex builds.

Harrigan praises the collaboration, noting weekly site meetings and open communication as key to keeping the project on track despite inevitable delays from COVID and weather.

The finished result, opened in September 2024, is a full-circle moment: a new club premises at the base, 80 apartments above, and a revitalised financial model that includes commercial leases to Salon Lane and a restaurant operator, plus three investment units retained and rented by the club.

“We’ve now got a secure income stream and a club our members can be proud of,” Harrigan says. The club was closed for four and a half years, but has now reopened with a stronger foundation and renewed purpose.

For other not-for-profit or community groups watching this space, Club Bondi Junction’s story offers both a cautionary tale and a blueprint: act early, choose the right partners, and don’t underestimate the power of persistence.

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