Merivale billionaire Justin Hemmes was unaware that his Club Rose Bay venue had been targeted with an Indigenous land claim. The popular Sydney hotspot, a favorite among socialites, sits on a site that has served the local community for over 75 years. The venue reopened in December last year following a significant renovation, meaning it has been open for less than a year.
Mr. Hemmes reportedly learned of the claim when radio producers contacted him for comment. "No, I wasn't aware. When was the claim made?" he responded when asked about the claim. Representatives for Mr. Hemmes and Merivale were contacted for comment.
This claim follows similar Indigenous land claims lodged against St. Michael's Golf Club at Little Bay and Matraville RSL, also known as Club Matto. Earlier this week, the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council confirmed it had also filed a land claim against the Bondi Icebergs pool and licensed club in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act in New South Wales, Aboriginal land councils can file claims on Crown land if they deem it to be 'claimable Crown lands.' This designation requires the land to be legally available for sale or lease, not currently in lawful use or occupation, not essential for public purposes, and not already subject to native title claims. The lodging of a claim does not guarantee its approval.
These claims are part of a larger backlog of approximately 44,000 outstanding Aboriginal land claims in NSW. Roy Ah-See, former chair of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and a Wiradjuri elder, expressed concern over the recent actions. "Weaponising the legislation doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help people, it doesn't help our communities," Ah-See told 2GB, adding that such actions do not contribute to economic empowerment. He stated that it was never the intention for venues like these to be targeted by land claims and urged the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to encourage local bodies to engage in discussions about these claims.