Bill Harrigan Leaves a Lasting Legacy at Club Bondi Junction

And after retiring last month at 88 years of age, the father-of-three leaves with a legacy of being renowned for his reliability and a willingness to get on with the job.

Now a resident of Bronte, Bill started his working life as a railway porter aged 15 and was always keen to continue his education, studying for a Diploma in Criminology when he was 39 and a police officer.

Originally from Canley Vale in Sydney’s southwest, Bill has been part of the Club since the late 1980s when it was known as Bondi Junction-Waverley RSL, and stepped into leadership not long after including serving as President since 1999.

For this grandfather of 13, it’s always been about the job in front of him and doing it properly.

That mindset has its roots in a long police career. After 37 years with the Australian Federal Police, including a stint in Northern Cyprus later retiring as a Detective Superintendent, Bill brought with him a way of working that is practical and quietly disciplined.

That approach has proved invaluable over the years, particularly during periods when the Bondi Club’s future felt uncertain. Financial pressures in the early 2000s required difficult decisions including selling assets to clear debt and ensure the Club could keep going.

Later came the push to make redevelopment viable which meant Bill spent lobbying council before a project could even begin.

Redevelopment closed the Club’s doors for more than four years, stretching patience and resources. There were delays, not least through COVID-19, and plenty of moments where the finish line felt a long way off. Bill says: “I stayed focused on where it would land, not how long it was taking to get there.”

When the Club reopened in September 2024, it wasn’t just a new building but a reset with an eye to the future. Bill has always been more interested, he says, in whether patrons still feel like it is their Club.

That focus on people has shaped much of his time in the role. From opening up Board positions to a broader membership base to building relationships across other clubs and organisations, Bill’s decisions have often been about making the place more inclusive and more sustainable.

His namesake eldest son Bill had a successful career as a rugby league referee while brother Gregory was also a police officer.

“But I’m better on the golf course!” Bill says with a smile.

“I expected to retire at the March 2024 elections but I decided to stay on until the Club opened.

“Having been involved in the whole process since 2005, I really did not want to miss being there as President for its opening.

“I’ve had my wife Joy by my side for over 60 years and time has really flown. We’ve been on a few cruises, 22 in fact with Alaska our favourite, and we’re looking at another one.”

It is a fitting end to a long chapter which Bill has handled much the same way he approached the rest of it — steadily and without fuss. Congratulations Bill on a great legacy at Club Bondi Junction.