Staff at Taree Aquatic Club, affectionately known as Sailos, have been dealt a fresh blow after a fire ripped through the clubhouse in the early hours of Monday, 24 August, just months after the venue began recovering from last year’s floods.
Twenty firefighters were called to the scene after the blaze started about 1 am. It took approximately 45 minutes to bring the fire under control, and then another few hours after that doing an overhaul to make sure it was properly extinguished, one firefighter at the scene said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown. Forensic investigators combed through the scene on Monday morning, though police are not treating the blaze as suspicious.
Secretary Manager Peter Hemingway said the blaze had been a “very, devastating feeling.”
“To be woken up in the early hours of the morning, and then have a fire in our building was just gut-wrenching,” Mr Hemingway said in an interview with NBN News.
The fire is a particularly cruel setback for the club, which spent the past year rebuilding after it was damaged in the 2025 floods, and which was highly commended in the Emergency Response category of the ClubsNSW Clubs & Community Awards for its efforts during that disaster, with fellow Taree club, Club Taree, taking out the top prize in the same category.
“And we thought we’d turned the corner and our trading had picked up,” Mr Hemingway said to NBN. “Our community being behind us, it’s been wonderful, and then to have this setback is sort of turning back the clock.”
In a statement posted to Facebook, Taree Aquatic Club confirmed the facility had sustained significant damage and would remain closed until further notice while the extent of the damage was assessed.
“The safety of our members and staff is our priority, and we will not reopen until we are confident that the club is safe and fit for use,” the club stated.
The club is now working through the recovery process with its insurer, along with contractors and relevant authorities.
“Moving forward for us now, obviously this is all going to be referred to our insurers, and then we’ll take each day at a time,” Mr Hemingway said.
The club’s statement said it was working with insurance representatives, contractors and relevant authorities to understand the full scope of what had happened and to develop a clear recovery plan, and that regular updates would be provided as the situation developed.
Members with personal items left at the club on the night before the fire have been asked to contact Mr Hemingway by email at manager@sailos.com.au.
The club also thanked its staff, caterers, board and members for their support, and asked the community to continue patronising the Sailos Group by visiting its Sporties Taree premises at 43 Cowper Street, Taree, where Sailos caterers will keep providing lunch and dinner service seven days a week.
“We are committed to getting the club back to full operation as quickly as possible,” the club stated.
The kitchen team behind Sailo’s Restaurant also posted a statement, saying they were heartbroken by the fire and unable to yet say when the venue would reopen.
“The Club itself, our main man/guardian Peter and we’re doing everything we can and taking things one day at a time,” the kitchen team wrote, urging the community to dine with them at Taree Sporties Club in the meantime.
“Your support right now means more than you know,” the kitchen team wrote. Bookings at the satellite venue can be made by phoning 02 6552 2200 or emailing Sailos@thelocalspoon.com.au.
The fire has prompted an outpouring of support from across the local club and sporting community. Lawn Bowls Sporties Taree, part of the Sailos Group, wrote that it was “devastated to hear that the Sailo’s have had a fire which has led to the Sailo’s temporary shutdown again.”
Club president Ian McCarthy wrote that fellow members were welcome to head to Sporties Taree for a drink and a meal while Sailos remained closed.
“It is times like this that the whole community comes together to help each other,” Mr McCarthy wrote. “Our bowlers are happy to help in any way we can.”
Tinonee Football Club, which counts Sporties Taree as its major sponsor, also urged its supporters to back the venue, describing the blaze as a fire in the kitchen that had forced the club to close until further notice.
“Now, more than ever, they need the support of our local community,” the club wrote in a statement. “Let’s rally together and support our major sponsor in their hour of need.”
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