The name CLUB80 comes from the address of the original CLUB80 in Sydney, "80" William Street. Established as a meeting / play space for a group of young leather men in the early 1970s, it rapidly outgrew its original site and moved to Little Oxford Street, Darlinghurst.
In late 1980 a Melbourne branch of CLUB80 was established at its current address, 10 Peel Street Collingwood. A second Sydney club was opened in 1981 near Taylor Square. All three clubs flourished until the police raids of 1982 - 83 which ultimately led to the closure of both Sydney clubs in 1983.
Following the success of the NSW police in closing CLUB80 Sydney, the Victorian police department commenced a concerted effort over the next three years to close down the Melbourne CLUB80 and a number of Melbournes' Gay Saunas.
Many legal battles were fought and with the support and guidance of members of gay law reform groups and the efforts of a progressive and enlightened Minister for Police (Labour) we have survived to become Australia's pre-eminent Gay sex-on-premises venue and one of Melbourne's most popular meeting places for Gay men.
From its original beginnings, on the top floor of a shared warehouse, CLUB80 has grown to encompass all three floors of the building.
Early in 1997, a 12-station Cyber Lounge was set up adjacent to the Coffee Lounge providing our patrons with free access to the internet. In 1998 a fourth floor (the "LOFT") was added to the building providing six additional play rooms catering specifically to the Leather scene. The same year a new building was constructed over an adjacent car park allowing CLUB80 to expand even further and more than doubling the number of rooms and cubicles. Now close to its fourth decade of operation, CLUB80 has become a Melbourne institution and is known all over the world.