Sanctum is the latest sports club to obsess over, now the footy is over

Melbourne’s newest private members club knows its audience. Sanctum, spearheaded by former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou, is going straight for the city’s trifecta of interests: sport, culture and entertainment.

Launched on September 25 at the Pullman Melbourne on the Park, just a drop-kick away from the hallowed turf of the MCG, Sanctum is luring members with a swish private clubroom in which to relax away from the gameday hordes, plus a host of exclusive add-ons.

“We’re looking at it as a modern interpretation of the members club,” says Sanctum’s chief marketing and communications officer, Eileen Armstrong. “We want to connect members to the very best of Melbourne through a curated calendar of insider access and unforgettable experiences.

“I think we’re the only one in the market that’s really sitting across multiple pillars for multiple people and different lifestyles.”

The club is a separate entity from the Pullman, a Wellington Parade landmark across the road from the sporting precinct.

“The choice of location was all about proximity,” Armstrong says. “It’s on that CBD fringe, as well as a stone’s throw from the MCG and Rod Laver [Arena], because that’s really critical to our members.

“They can come here beforehand, or they can come afterwards, or we’ll be hosting events that will be aligned with iconic experiences that are happening across Melbourne, across the calendar.”

Aiming for a capped membership of 3500, Sanctum attracted 300 members before its official launch.

Access isn’t cheap (by the standards of those who don’t inhabit the C-suite, anyway). First-year membership will be $5250, subsequently dropping to $4500 a year; if you fancy a lifetime membership, that’ll be a cool $25,000.

For that outlay, the Sanctum-istas have the blissful experience of their lives being handled by a concierge service.

A car will be on hand to pick up and drop them off within five kilometres of HQ. Partner restaurateurs such as Chris Lucas and Maha’s Shane Delia will stage pop-ups as part of the event calendar and share a hotline for priority bookings.

Exclusive ticketing for events will be at their beck and call, while wellness tie-ins include membership at Moonah Links Golf Course on the Mornington Peninsula, gym memberships and a run club.

Designed by Cox Architects, the design lives up to its name with the textured heft of Italian marble and stone, along with timber and suede.

There’s a private dining area, a business lounge and working space, and a bar for cocktails, champagne – and beer, of course. An everyday dining offer will extend from breakfast through to dinner, with everything up for grabs from ceviche to a slap-up burger.

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Sanctum’s inner sanctum has been at pains to point out it won’t be a boys’ club, with female members being actively recruited. It’s also not exclusively reserved for those who want to hear the crowd roar.

“We have four David Bromley artworks for our launch, and we’ll be changing that up every so often to showcase Australian artists,” Armstrong says. “It’s a club that has something for everyone.”