All hands on deck for Yacht club expansion

The Geographe Bay Yacht Club has revealed an ambitious plan to expand its alfresco area, aiming to offer a more spacious and inviting venue for its members, locals, and community groups to relish the beauty of Geographe Bay.

The Club has started work on an extended verandah area, creating more space for members, guests, and community gatherings. The plan is to extend the verandah area by 6m to level out the grass area, build a retaining wall, and allow more tables and chairs for people to enjoy the view. The project will be done in three stages with the first stage currently underway.

The club is inviting individuals and businesses to contribute to their fundraising campaign, a vital component of this transformation. The raised funds will be directed towards various aspects of the extension, including wall construction, furniture, balustrading, and sun sails. The club aims to raise $60,000.

All donations are tax-deductible and will play a crucial role in expediting the project’s completion ahead of the upcoming season. As a gesture of appreciation, the first eight donors or companies contributing more than $1000 will have their names or logos engraved on plaques, to be attached to their new solid wood picnic tables.

GBYC is also extending an invitation to local businesses to sponsor the club, an organisation dedicated to supporting community initiatives and fostering an environment of inclusivity and connection.

Anton Mann, Commodore of GBYC, expressed his pride in achieving the start of stage one, highlighting the club’s volunteer-driven nature.

“We are a not-for-profit and run by volunteers,” he said.

“This couldn’t have happened without lots of people volunteering their time, to which the committee are so grateful.”

As a not-for-profit entity, the Geographe Bay Yacht Club directs all raised funds, including venue hire fees, event revenues, and membership dues, back into the club. Entirely managed by volunteers investing countless hours in its operations, the club is the heart of a myriad of activities including racing, regattas, learn-to-sail programs, and fostering an inviting environment for members and guests. The expansion aligns with the goal of welcoming more members to experience the amazing views of Geographe Bay.

This newly expanded area isn’t limited to sailors but rather open to all as social members, offering a respite from the ordinary. Social memberships are available for $30 per person for the entire sailing season from September 2023 to August 2024.

The Yacht Club hosts dinners every Friday and Saturday night during the sailing season and plans to initiate Sunday Sessions over the summer. Additionally, the club orchestrates various social events, live music evenings, themed fundraising nights, and makes its venue available to members for personal events.