The difference between the old and new St George Sailing Club is striking.

“The old club was stuck in the ’80s and well overdue for renovation. We changed pretty much everything, completely demolishing the old buildings and replacing them with a brand new, purpose-built sailing club that includes boatsheds, rigging decks and launching ramps,” general manager Matt Hazell tells Broadsheet.

Stretching 1600 square metres, the grand modern structure sits over the water, giving the sense it’s floating. There’s a 300-seat bistro, a sports bar, a main bar, function spaces and open-air dining. A wraparound boardwalk outside allows guests to take in a view characteristic of the beaches around Botany Bay: at once naturally sublime and industrial. In one direction, the sailing club looks out to Kurnell. In the other, there’s the stolid, 1960s-built Captain Cook Bridge.

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Seaside classics – freshly shucked oysters, fish’n’chips and seafood platters – as well as pizzas and burgers are balanced out with a series of completely new menu items that complement the sophisticated redesign. From the raw bar there’s tuna tartare with pickled fennel and lemongrass, and salmon sashimi with black bean ponzu. The main menu features barramundi with celeriac puree, grilled baby octopus with caramelised potatoes, and a Riverine eye fillet served with shoestring fries.

Despite the function spaces and eatery, this is unmistakeably a sailing club, and it’s been part of the community for 125 years. Such a long history carries the weight of expectation from those who grew up with and learned to sail in the club, and perhaps for some, a desire for things to remain the same.

Hazell says the new club respects history and opens a new chapter for the community. “We had a sneak preview for our sailors, volunteers and life members, and they were all blown away. The tricky part has always been managing the needs of the sailors and those coming to enjoy the space. But I think we have enough options to keep everyone happy.”

Unlike the famous stretches of sand in the eastern suburbs and northern beaches, Sans Souci and its neighbouring Botany Bay beaches tend to be a local secret. But the new sailing club might be what it takes to make the area a destination.

“The locals have been crying out for something like this for a while,” says Hazell. “On the weekend during the sailing season, you’ll know you’re in a sailing club. It makes the whole experience so unique. I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.”

St George Sailing Club
2 Riverside Drive, Sans Souci

Hours:
Mon to Wed, Sun 10.30am–10.30pm
Thu 10.30am–11pm
Fri to Sat 10.30am–midnight

stgeorgesailingclub.com.au
@stgeorgesailingclub