Construction has begun on the Waverley Bowling Club site following a ground-breaking ceremony, barely four months after Mirvac signed an agreement with Easts Group to redevelop the property.

The redevelopment will see the addition of two new bowling greens, a new community venue and 55 luxury apartments for those aged over-55, all of which will be completed in time for the club’s 130th anniversary in 2023.

Mirvac is determined to deliver this project to their high standards, creating a new community venue and greens worthy of the club’s rich history, head of residential Stuart Penklis said.

“Today marks the turning point for both the Easts Group and Waverley Bowling Club when we begin construction of what will be a magnificent new facility to be enjoyed by Members and the wider community,” he noted.

“We are extremely proud to be entrusted with the delivery of such a historic site and look forward to working with Easts to build a new legacy. Easts Group and Waverley Bowling Club worked closely with the community for many years to finalise a proposal that has won broad support,” Penklis added.

According to Easts Group chairman Nick Politis, the redevelopment secures the future of the Waverley Bowling Club and delivers a valuable community asset to be enjoyed by Members, residents and local community.

“We are committed to delivering a niche hospitality offering that includes an indoor-outdoor casual and contemporary café, bistro and bar, with a strong garden feel reminiscent of the site’s history, where our community can enjoy a social occasion with friends and family.

“The fact that construction is beginning only four months after signing the agreement with Mirvac demonstrates the commitment of both organisations to deliver a home for our Members in time to celebrate the Waverley bowlers’ 130th anniversary,” he said.

Waverley Bowling Club president Patrick Fitzsimons noted that the redevelopment finally began after eight years of negotiations.

“We are the sixth oldest bowling club in Sydney and there is a lot of history attached to the Waverley Bowling Club. Once history is gone, it’s gone forever whereas this is the Phoenix rising from the ashes, coming back better than it ever was,” Fitzsimons said.

“It will be the best bowling club in the Eastern Suburbs. I already have people asking when it will open, not just bowlers but families and people in the community. This has always been a little oasis in the Eastern Suburbs where people can come and play barefoot bowls or just sit outside and watch the competition bowlers.”

Waverley Bowling Club lady president Marilyn Eccles recalled that the club was formed in 1893 and they were based in Bondi Junction near Easts.

“We are a club that has always been prepared to chart new territory. We were the first to integrate men and women bowlers into the one club and the first after Paddington to introduce barefoot bowls. The local community wanted us to stay here and that is exactly what we plan to do. This is our home and home is where the heart is.”

Meanwhile, Mirvac has begun taking enquiries from locals looking to secure a new Mirvac quality home.

“Not surprisingly there has been quite a rush of enquiries about purchasing in the development,” Penklis said. “Mirvac’s first apartment development was in Rose Bay back in 1972 and the Eastern Suburbs was our favoured location for many years, earning us a lot of extremely loyal customers.

“Our last residential project was The Moreton in Bondi, which sold out in a single weekend. With only 55 apartments in this project and development sites as good as this one so rare in the east, we are anticipating healthy demand.”

The 55 residential apartments will be distributed across four buildings including the Birrell St corner apartments with the new club facilities at ground level overlooking the greens. This building offers some of the best ocean views, and will also have a landscaped rooftop with residential communal facilities such as barbecue and outdoor dining for the private use of residents.

Waverley is Mirvac’s second recent project in Sydney to begin construction ahead of a sales launch, underlining the company’s confidence in the market.

“Mirvac’s fully integrated model means we are designing and constructing the development, which enables the confidence in dealing with one party. As a result, we are one of the few development companies in Australia with the capacity to get new projects out of the ground, knowing that our reputation for quality will stand up well in any market,” Penklis concluded.