FLASHBACK FRIDAY | Photos from the Leader’s archives

In the early 1980s, the Workers rocked on the weekend to the music of many of Australia’s top groups.

INXS, Cold Chisel, Dragon, Hunters & Collectors and Little River Band were among the performers, the Australian Music Database records.

But, with the big crowds came anti-social behaviour, violence and vandalism.

In 1983, ten youths were arrested after clashing with police outside while US punk rock band, The Dead Kennedys, were performing.

World surfing champion Mark Occhilupo said in a 1984 interview with Surfing World his home town had become “‘sleazy”.

Long-term Cronulla resident Graeme Cole recalled in a blog after the 2005 Cronulla riot that alcohol-fuelled violence in the area was nothing new.

“Turn back the clock 20 years and, as a young reporter working on the local paper, I covered the death of a man at Cronulla Workers Club,” Mr Cole wrote.

“As paramedics tried to save the young man's life a belligerent, drunken crowd decided to ‘put the boot in' to the attending paramedics.

“One paramedic picked up an oxy-via tank and swung it around to clear the mob. The year was 1984.

“A glass in the throat, ‘albeit an accident’, took the young man's life.

“It was a Four-X fuelled February night, hundreds of young men and women were at each other in Dunningham Park, the scene of December 11’s pitched battle with a brutality that shocked and dismayed me.”

Cronulla Workers Club went into receivership in 1984, after which a new board of directors and management took over.

The new president was Michael Egan, who had been the MP for Cronulla from 1978 to 1984, and later returned to Parliament, becoming Treasurer for 10 years.

In 1986, in a bid to restore profitability, new measures, including a relaxed dress code and $2 snacks were introduced to attract beachgoers.

However, the club could not be saved, and the building was sold to a development group in 1987 for $3.9 million.

It limped along for a while before the doors finally closed and the building demolished around the end of the decade.

In 1993, a development application for the 11-storey Cote D’Azur was lodged with Sutherland Shire Council.

The adjoining Joe’s Milk Bar wax also demolished as part of a new restaurant / cafe strip.

Former Sutherland Shire president Arthur Gietzelt was the driving force behind the Workers Club.

He got the idea while visiting Revesby Workers Club in the 1950s.

Cronulla Labor & Workers Club was registered as a company in 1955 and deregistered in 1992.

ALP members in the west of the shire went their own way and established a trade union club (now Tradies) at Gymea in 1960.

Every Friday we delve into the Leader archives to embark on some time travel.

We will bring you a photograph of a news event from 57 years of Leader news coverage that you may or may not recall.

Flashback Friday submissions are also welcomed.

Feel free to share your recollections with us on our Facebook page @stgeorgesutherlandleader or email leaderletters@fairfaxmedia.com.au