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Western Suburbs (Newcastle) Leagues Club

Our Proud History

Western Suburbs (N'cle) Leagues Club was first opened on Saturday 24th September 1960. In 2008 Wests is one of the states largest clubs with more than 90,000 members and are one of the Hunters largest employers with 980 staff and turnover of $77 million in 2007.

Wests personifies the Novocastrian ethos with a proud history and is an ongoing Hunter success story.

The Club was originally formed in 1910 when Wests played in the Sydney Rugby League competition. As part of a determined struggle to build a community based organisation, 200 members of the Wests Football Club formed Western Suburbs (Ncle) Leagues Club Limited in 1960, many of them personally becoming guarantors to see the venture come to fruition.

Now the Club is a source enjoyment for thousands of members and visitors. It has constantly grown and developed by offering a diverse range of product and by incorporating quality food, modern facilities, attractive décor, popular entertainment and superb customer service.

In 1990, Wests built a 57 room 3 star motel. Due to the growing demand for a higher standard of accommodation in Newcastle, work commenced on enlarging and upgrading the motel and in 1998 a stylish 134 room hotel (4 ½ star) emerged known as The Executive Inn.

Surviving many booms and recessions, Wests has constantly grown to become a major facility operator and over the past 8 years has undergone a major shift in direction. Embracing tourism as a core value and driver of growth, Wests has undertaken a leadership role to ensure the future of tourism and maximise benefits to for the Hunter.

In 1997 Wests merged with New Lambton Bowling Club and in May 2001 with Club Phoenix, renaming it Phoenix Sports in the process. Recently emerging from a 6 year redevelopment program (that cost over $40 million), Wests then set about rebuilding Phoenix Sports, (spending another $20 million in the process) to become an unrivalled sporting and recreational venue in the Hunter.

The next addition to the portfolio was Balance Health Club. Officially opened by the Minister for the Hunter Michael Costa in April 2005 it has astounded all who visit by offering an unprecedented level of facilities and services to its 6,500 members and more than 150,000 visitors in its first financial year.

2006 was a huge year for the Balance with the launch of the Rehabilitation and Elite Fitness Centre at Mayfield. In early 2007 the well loved fitness centre at New Lambton was refurbished and rebranded to be Balance New Lambton.

Wests are also the catering supplier for the International Sports Centre (ISC) at New Lambton, the home of both the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle Jets. This venture ensures the ongoing viability of the Hunter’s leading sporting teams and brings the profits back to the sporting clubs.

In 2007 the name of the Club at Mayfield changed to Wests Mayfield. This is in line with the development of a 70 room hotel due to open early 2009. Featuring deluxe accommodation and a new skyline restaurant this newest edition to the portfolio will be eye-catching and appealing to both the business traveller and leisure guest.

As a major drawcard for people in this region and beyond Wests is an economic driver for Newcastle and a focal point for tourism in the Hunter Region and NSW.

Awards

	2007	NSW Tourism Award for Excellence in Business
	2007	Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT Awards Category of Best Restaurant in a Pub/Hotel/Club/Tavern
	2006	NSW Tourism Award for Excellence in Business
	2006	Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT Awards Category of Best Restaurant in a Pub/Hotel/Club/Tavern
	2005	NSW Tourism Award for Excellence in Business Category of Registered Clubs
	2005	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2005	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Outstanding Contribution to Regional Tourism by an Individual Mr Philip Gardner
	2005	ClubsNSW Awards for Excellence Category of Best Club Restaurant
	2005	Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT Awards Category of Best Restaurant in a Pub/Hotel/Club/Tavern
	2004	NSW Tourism Award for Excellence in Business Category of Registered Clubs
	2004	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2004	Commonwealth Sports Achievement Award Outstanding dedication to Local Sports
	2004	Winner of the Number One Largest Employer Award MAP Marketing Fastest 100 Growing Hunter Companies
	2004	ClubsNSW 2004 Awards for Excellence Highly Commended ‘Financial Management Award’ Category of Large Club
	2004	State Restaurant and Catering Awards of Excellence Category of Best Restaurant in a Club/Pub/Tavern
	2003	Inducted into the NSW Tourism Hall of Fame
	2003	NSW Tourism Award for Excellence in Business Category of Registered Clubs
	2003	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2002	NSW Tourism Award for Excellence in Business Category of Registered Clubs
	2002	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2002	Winner of Wedding Industry Excellence Awards Category of Wedding Venues
	2002	Finalist in Wedding Industry Excellence Awards Category of Honeymoon Night
	2001	Hunter Business Awards Category of Hunter Business person Mr Philip Gardner
	2001	NSW Tourism Award for Business Excellence Category of Registered Clubs
	2001	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2000	NSW Awards For Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2000	Clubs NSW Awards for Excellence Most Improved Club Award Category 4
	2000	Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism Category of Registered Clubs
	2000	Annual Bridal Industry Awards for Excellence Category of Club Reception
	2000	Annual Bridal Industry Awards for Excellence Category of Honeymoon Night

Our Community

The Board, management and staff of Wests believe we are an integral part of the makeup of the community of Newcastle and the Hunter region. We understand our business is intrinsically linked to the growth of our region and we believe that being a good corporate citizen is more than just contributing financially to a cause.

Wests supports the community by providing a valuable place of employment for more than 1000 local people. We offer a variety of positions both full time and casual for all types of staff. We have a solid traineeship program and have an excellent working relationship with the education providers in our area including schools and secondary educators.

Through our everyday business operations there is also an obvious flow-on effect in the Hunter as we maintain our operations over three sites. We do our best to purchase locally when we can and we provide hundreds of auxiliary positions in this region.

Many older members of our community also enjoy the social and health benefits gained whilst pursuing their favourite entertainment or sport either partly or fully sponsored by Wests. We provide entertainment for our older patrons through tea dances, member's functions and other daily entertainment options. When we plan our facilities we take their special needs into consideration.

Our commitment to health includes the operation of two fitness facilities – one at Mayfield and our original facilities at new Lambton. Through this business we have been instrumental in the design and implementation of the HeartMoves program with the Heart Foundation.

We are well known in Newcastle for the promotion of sporting endeavours of the community through a range of projects and amenities. We believe that many talented youth reside in the Newcastle area and that to reach the pinnacle of success in their chosen sport, they need support in the areas of both training and finance.

Wests has set up and/or fostered the following subsidiary clubs:

• Wests Senior Football Club
• Wests Junior Football Club
• Wests Schoolboys Football Club
• Wests Senior Netball Club
• Wests Junior Netball Club
• Wests Senior Basketball Club
• Wests Senior Cricket Club
• Wests Junior Cricket Club
• Lambton-New Lambton District Cricket Club
• Wests Indoor Bowls Club
• Wests Hockey Club
• Wests Social Golf Club
• Central Newcastle Swimming Club

These sub clubs provide sporting opportunities for thousands of children and adults. It is the honorary work of Wests’ members that allows these organisations to carry out their work for the community. Without the support of this club, junior sport and dance could not exist within the Newcastle area.

Wests has a good neighbour policy whereby community liaison meetings are held on a monthly basis with our close neighbours to address any issues they have with being in such close proximity to a club.

Wests practices responsible service of alcohol and gaming.

Wests Group Australia Style Guide

• Wests Group Australia Style Guide
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