In a snap decision, Port Kembla Leagues Club will open for its last day of trade this Sunday.
Signs went up on the doors of the club earlier this week and the word filtered out to Port Kembla locals that the last club in the suburb was about to shut.
The club, owned by Collegians, had been battling to stay afloat after a debt taken on to finance renovations put the club in the red.
In 2016, the former Port Kembla Leagues Club amalgamated wtih Collegians, however this week the owners called time.
The move shocked members, who said they weren't informed of the impending closure.
Wollongong City Councillor Linda Campbell said the first she heard of the closure was on a community Facebook page.
"I'm a member of the club and I hadn't heard anything," she said.
The club's closure throws into doubt future seasons of the suburb's junior rugby league club, which received $36,000 from Collegians in 2022, according to the club's annual report.
Port Kembla Juniors vice-president Steve Peck, said the junior club and Collegians had until now a "good relationship".
"It's a massive loss for the club," he said.
The sponsorship largely went towards gear and equipment, and games would continue as scheduled for this season, but Mr Peck said he was now having to go to other sponsors to be able to get the 200 juniors back on the field next season.
So far, two have been locked in.
"If we haven't got anything on the table by December, come April there will be nothing," Mr Peck said.
Beyond sponsorship, losing the club meant presentations, meetings and the like would have to move elsewhere. However, with over 100 years of history, Mr Peck said he was confident the club could pull through.
According to Collegians annual report, the Port Kembla club posted a $595,958 loss in the year to June 2022. This was lower than pre-COVID levels.
The Mercury contacted Collegians but the club declined to comment.
It is not known how staff will be affected and what plans the club has for the site, which it owns.
The annual report lists the property on Wentworth Street as a "non-core asset".
More to come
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