The New South Wales Club - Bligh Street - Sydney 

The New South Wales Club, located on Bligh Street in Sydney, Australia, is a private social and dining club with a rich history dating back to the 19th century. It has served as a gathering place for influential individuals and has maintained its reputation as an exclusive and esteemed establishment. Here's an overview of its history:

Founding and Early Years:

• The New South Wales Club was founded in 1836 by a group of prominent gentlemen from Sydney's upper echelons of society.
• The club was established as a place for members to socialize, network, and engage in intellectual discussions.

Original Location:

• The club's original location was on Macquarie Street. It later moved to Hunter Street before finally settling at its present location on Bligh Street.

Membership and Prestige:

• Membership to the New South Wales Club has historically been selective and restricted to individuals of high social standing, including professionals, politicians, academics, and business leaders.

Clubhouse on Bligh Street:

• The current clubhouse on Bligh Street was designed by architect Harry Kent and completed in 1936.
• The building is characterized by its Georgian Revival architecture, reflecting the club's historical context and the design trends of its time.

Traditions and Activities:

• The New South Wales Club maintains various traditions, including formal dress codes and etiquette, creating an atmosphere of elegance and refinement.
• The club provides dining, event hosting, and meeting facilities for its members.

Cultural and Historical Significance:

• The New South Wales Club has played a role in Sydney's social and cultural history, serving as a venue for discussions, networking, and gatherings of influential figures.

Evolution and Adaptation:

• Over the years, the club has evolved to adapt to changing times while preserving its traditional values and heritage.
• The club continues to maintain its exclusivity and continues to attract individuals who value its historical legacy and the opportunities it provides for social interaction and intellectual exchange.

The New South Wales Club remains a notable institution in Sydney's social fabric. Its longevity, commitment to tradition, and role as a gathering place for distinguished individuals reflect its enduring significance in the city's history.

The Union Club – Bligh Street

Bligh Street once had two Wardell clubhouses within a short walk of each other and Sydneysiders still mix them up. This post is about the Union Club at 2 Bligh Street, not the surviving New South Wales Club faade at 31 Bligh.

The Union Club was founded in 1857 by professional and pastoral gentlemen who first met in leased rooms at Wynyard Square; James Macarthur was an early president. From 1859 the club occupied Robert Campbell’s former Bligh Street mansion (period writers cheerfully called it a “cottage,” though it was a substantial house), later leasing adjoining warehouse ground and buying the Campbell site in 1873.

After years of alterations, the old Campbell house gave way to a purpose-built Classical Revival clubhouse designed by William Wilkinson Wardell and completed in 1884: three storeys, balustraded parapet, pediment, colonnaded portico; Benjamin Backhouse later added further colonnade work. It was one of colonial Sydney’s leading gentlemen’s clubs, hard against the commercial and legal precinct around Bligh, Bent and O’Connell Streets. The Wardell clubhouse was demolished in 1955 when the club sold part of the site and rebuilt on what remained. If you are standing at 31 Bligh admiring sandstone, you are looking at the other Wardell club — State Heritage listed, front portion still standing.

Union Club clubhouse at 2 Bligh Street, designed by William Wilkinson Wardell and demolished in 1955 — not the New South Wales Club building at 31 Bligh Street.