Club Corowa looking to partner with other licensed clubs

The former Corowa RSL has sought expressions of interest from licensed clubs at Mulwala, Urana and Oaklands as well as Howlong and Corowa Golf Club.

Club Corowa chief executive Peter Norris said the move was driven by a changing outlook for the industry.

"We think the next five to 10 years are going to be pretty tough for licensed clubs, growth is stagnant and expenses are up," Mr Norris said.

He added having strength in numbers would help the clubs and it should not be seen as a takeover.

"We want them to retain their own name and branding, so if it was Howlong Golf Resort for example they would keep their identity," Mr Norris said.

Clubs have until September 8 to respond, with the board of the Howlong resort already unanimously voting to have Club Corowa give a presentation to it on September 4.

Howlong Golf Resort president Mark Sarau declined to speak to The Border Mail, but in an email sent to his members on Thursday stressed it would be "the joining of two entities".

"I must make this perfectly clear to you all, this is not a take over, the Howlong Golf Resort will not lose its identity," Mr Sarau wrote.

For any amalgamation to proceed it would require formal approval from the members of both clubs.

The potential tie-up has emerged amid tensions at the Howlong club, with eight former board members involved in the circulation of a petition questioning the current administration.

One of them David Longley said the petition had more than the 100 signatures required for a spill, but it would be kept in "abeyance" as the merger manoeuvres unfold.

He said the group supports investigations into the proposed union and he personally described it as an "absolutely fantastic idea" noting it could offer a membership across clubs.

"What they're offering is longevity," Mr Longley, who is also a Federation councillor, said.

"I believe ultimately our club will fail due to cashflow, we can't generate enough cashflow to do repairs on the building for example and they have offered some pretty significant contributions to the Howlong golf club."

Mr Norris said he was aware of the divisions at the golf resort, where he was operations manager from 2011 to 2017.

"That's just part of running a members' club," he said.

"I believe they'll sort that out sensibly because with those sorts of distractions they only do harm to each other.

"It doesn't distract us from what we're doing.

"It means we'll continue to work with the board as it stands and if there is a change we will pivot at that time."

Mr Norris worked at the Thurgoona golf club in the early 2000s when it came under the umbrella of the Liverpool Catholic Club and he noted that had ensured a long-term successful outcome for the Border.

Meanwhile, Howlong Golf Resort is searching for a new general manager after the departure of Shaun Whitechurch, who is also the deputy mayor of Federation Council.

Neither Mr Sarau nor Mr Whitechurch would comment directly on the circumstances surrounding the exit and whether he was sacked or resigned.

However, Mr Whitechurch said he was not taking the matter to the Fair Work Commission and now had another job in the hospitality sector.

He last worked at the golf club on June 22, but confirmation of his leaving was only confirmed to members by Mr Sarau in an email on August 12.

"The Board of the Howlong Golf Resort would like to inform their members that due to unforeseen reasons the role of General Manager has become vacant," Mr Sarau wrote in a message that did not name Mr Whitechurch.

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