Meals and Clubs in Oz

A good reply on a different thread made me realise that most intending
visitors to this country have no knowledge of the "clubs" in New South
Wales and Queensland.

Briefly, the background is that for several years there was fierce
competition in the early days of the introduction of Poker Machines
(Gambling/Fruit Machines) at different times in both states. Initially
they were limited to registered sporting and similar clubs, and the
great majority ended up in RSL (veterans), Golf, Lawn Bowls, Rugby and
similar clubs. Competition to entice people to "play the pokies" led to
subsidised meals and restaurants to attract customers.

Eventually, some pubs were allowed to have pokies and also entered the
game. But the clubs got in first. Some of them are now enormous - I live
near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with six
levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium (I think it's Cindy
Lauper this week), sports grounds etc. And their own fifteen storey
resort and accommodation complex. Membership costs me peanuts (I think
it's $10) - they want my money in the pokies, which of course I never
touch:-) They got so big because they are on the Queensland border and
for many years pokies were legal in NSW and not in Queensland.

The result is that if you are wandering in either State, one of the
better places to check out for dinner is the local RSL/Bowls/Rugby/Surf
etc club. Almost certainly they will have a great
bistro/smorgasbord/restaurant at very low prices. Just don't be silly
enough to play the pokies. Our weird licensing laws require you to "sign
in" as you arrive, but there are no fees for visitors. Often there are
quite surprising free entertainments on if it is Friday or the week-end.

Bon Appetit


Cheers, Alan
--

"Alan" wrote in message
...
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Jim..............

"Alan" wrote in message
...
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Jim..............

Every area seems to have a club which is the biggest........

Quality is often ordinary, depending on the quality of the Manager, and the
'nous' of the Board!!!



"Jim" JimJam@Jim wrote in message
u...

"Alan" wrote in message
...
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Jim..............

*cough* The Penrith Panthers has more poker machines (slot machines) than
any other single venue in the world. Literally.

11% of the WORLD'S slot machines are in the state of NSW.

I sorta agree about licensed pubs and clubs. The food is cheap ($10 roast of
the day, a ****load of meat) but lousy by Oz standards. Beer is generally
about $1.30 a middie (250 mL). You don't have to be a member at any sporting
or RSL club - just prove you are a bona-fide traveller. In NSW, this means
that your permanent address is more than 5 km away, which of course is true
for almost everyone anyway - so all are open for travellers.

Interesting to see at least once.



"A Mate" wrote in message
u...
Every area seems to have a club which is the biggest........

Quality is often ordinary, depending on the quality of the Manager, and
the
'nous' of the Board!!!



"Jim" JimJam@Jim wrote in message
u...

"Alan" wrote in message
...
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with
six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be
the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Jim..............

*cough* The Penrith Panthers has more poker machines (slot machines) than
any other single venue in the world. Literally.

11% of the WORLD'S slot machines are in the state of NSW.

I sorta agree about licensed pubs and clubs. The food is cheap ($10 roast of
the day, a ****load of meat) but lousy by Oz standards. Beer is generally
about $1.30 a middie (250 mL). You don't have to be a member at any sporting
or RSL club - just prove you are a bona-fide traveller. In NSW, this means
that your permanent address is more than 5 km away, which of course is true
for almost everyone anyway - so all are open for travellers.

Interesting to see at least once.



"A Mate" wrote in message
u...
Every area seems to have a club which is the biggest........

Quality is often ordinary, depending on the quality of the Manager, and
the
'nous' of the Board!!!



"Jim" JimJam@Jim wrote in message
u...

"Alan" wrote in message
...
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with
six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be
the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Jim..............

in article , Peter Webb at
wrote on 7/10/04 11:21 AM:

*cough* The Penrith Panthers has more poker machines (slot machines) than
any other single venue in the world. Literally.

11% of the WORLD'S slot machines are in the state of NSW.


And I think it's something like 20%+ (23 rings a bell, so to speak) of the
world's pokies in Australia as a whole.

As long as we're talking clubs, the Demo in Broken Hill has a rep all it's
own, and well deserved! BHQ is a club type of town in any event.

in article , Peter Webb at
wrote on 7/10/04 11:21 AM:

*cough* The Penrith Panthers has more poker machines (slot machines) than
any other single venue in the world. Literally.

11% of the WORLD'S slot machines are in the state of NSW.


And I think it's something like 20%+ (23 rings a bell, so to speak) of the
world's pokies in Australia as a whole.

As long as we're talking clubs, the Demo in Broken Hill has a rep all it's
own, and well deserved! BHQ is a club type of town in any event.

On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 00:21:08 +1000, "Peter Webb"
wrote:

*cough* The Penrith Panthers has more poker machines (slot machines) than
any other single venue in the world. Literally.

11% of the WORLD'S slot machines are in the state of NSW.

I sorta agree about licensed pubs and clubs. The food is cheap ($10 roast of
the day, a ****load of meat) but lousy by Oz standards. Beer is generally
about $1.30 a middie (250 mL). You don't have to be a member at any sporting
or RSL club - just prove you are a bona-fide traveller. In NSW, this means
that your permanent address is more than 5 km away, which of course is true
for almost everyone anyway - so all are open for travellers.

Interesting to see at least once.



"A Mate" wrote in message
. au...
Every area seems to have a club which is the biggest........

Quality is often ordinary, depending on the quality of the Manager, and
the
'nous' of the Board!!!



"Jim" JimJam@Jim wrote in message
u...

"Alan" wrote in message
...
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with
six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be
the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Jim..............





Considering the vast number of clubs and pubs in Oz, you guys appear to
have chosen the wrong ones to eat at.

Anyway, all I wanted to do was mention a convenient facility out here
that I didn't see when wandering elsewhere; I've had no more problems
with their quality or cuisine when wandering here than you'd expect at
any restaurant and you can generally rely on their cleanliness and
health standards. Quality in any restaurant depends on the chef or cook
running it.

Travellers seeing a "club" sign may not have tried them out before, on
the assumption that membership was required.


Cheers, Alan
--

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 17:54:50 +1000, "Jim" JimJam@Jim wrote:


"Alan" wrote in message
.. .
|
- I live
| near the biggest of all, Twin Towns at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with six
| levels, five restaurants, a 1000 seat auditorium |
|
| Cheers, Alan

You might have a argument ..........Penrith Panthers would have to be the
one. The biggest in Aussie my friend.!!!!!!

Agreed - I have been to both in the last week, and Panthers World of
Intoxication (a term used by the local cops on their radio) would be
far bigger.

Dave

=====

NSW Rural Fire Service - become a volunteer today.

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/