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I'm ensconced in a brown leather chesterfield in one of Sydney's oldest private clubs. The very words conjure 19th-century alpha masculinity: cigar smoke spiralling in the air, glasses of brandy swirling in giant snifters, the "pock" of a billiard cue in the background. One would expect to discover a room full of men, partying like it's 1899. Instead, I'm chatting to several other females enjoying the historic space their membership gives them access to.
My father, John - who graduated alongside Germaine Greer, picketing in the 1960s for women to be able to drink in the same bar at his local pub - sponsored me for membership at his club, the Royal Automobile Club of Australia, and delighted in the ritual of passing the baton from father to daughter.
Established in 1903 as a motoring club, the affectionately dubbed RACA has its roots in a passion for cars. I had always loved visiting Dad there for lunch, kicking it old-school in the hushed atmosphere of this miraculously preserved building. Dining under the glorious, tinted glass of the sky-high ceiling in the Victoria Room or curling up with a Dark and Stormy cocktail in the Pioneers Room, lined with books and a (sigh) library ladder, the ferry tooting of Sydney's Circular Quay is, surreally, only minutes away outside.
Like so many male members before me, I can now say to business contacts, colleagues and friends "meet me at the RACA". Meetings with a copywriting client of mine, a female owner-founder of a $50 million company, would turn into riotous all-afternoon brainstorms: the peace, privacy, and surroundings reframed our work sessions as a convivial meeting of like-minded souls personal, but with the backup of welcoming support staff.
This story is from the July 2022 edition of Marie Claire Australia.
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This story is from the July 2022 edition of Marie Claire Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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