Westport RSA is the town's local friendly club — a welcoming spot on Palmerston Street where people meet new friends, share stories, have a laugh, help out and get involved with the Westport community. The club welcomes all members, their guests, and visitors from affiliated clubs, and membership is open to anyone aged 18 and over, with new members always welcome.
Inside the clubrooms you'll find a proper line-up of facilities: 8 ball tables, darts and outdoor bowls, plus a small meeting room and library. The club calendar keeps things lively, with Friday raffles, housie once a month on a Sunday from 1pm, and regular live entertainment and events throughout the year.
The clubrooms also double as a versatile venue for hire, hosting birthday parties, wedding receptions, reunions, meetings and other events, with staffed bar facilities, a stage, jukebox and dance floor all available.
Please note the kitchen is currently closed due to refurbishment; restaurant service normally runs Tuesday to Sunday with lunch from 12pm to 2pm and dinner from 5.30pm, so it's worth checking ahead. Club hours: closed Mondays and Tuesdays, open Wednesday to Sunday from 1pm, with Saturdays 10.00am to midnight and Sundays 11.00am to 8.00pm. Wheelchair access is available.
On Palmerston Street, right in the heart of Westport, the Westport RSA carries on a role that clubs like it have played in New Zealand towns for generations: part clubrooms, part community hall, part second living room. The club describes itself simply as your local friendly club — a great way to meet new people and share stories, have a laugh, help out and get involved with the community. It is an unpretentious brief, and it is the thread that runs through everything the club does, from Friday raffles to wedding receptions.
Membership is open to anyone aged 18 and over, and new members are always welcome — you don't need a service background to pull up a chair. The club also welcomes members' guests and visitors from affiliated clubs, so even first-timers passing through the Buller District can expect a proper Westport welcome. Whether you have just moved to town, are visiting for a few days, or have lived on the Coast all your life, the door is open.
Facilities are a big part of the appeal. The club has 8 ball tables, darts and outdoor bowls, plus — as the club puts it — lots more. There is a small meeting room and library on site as well, handy for quieter afternoons and community get-togethers.
The weekly rhythm matters here. Friday brings the club's raffles, and once a month a Sunday afternoon means housie from 1pm. Add regular live entertainment throughout the year and a rolling programme of activities and events, and there is usually something happening at the clubrooms — the club's events page is worth checking before you visit so you can time your trip to catch the action. Housie, raffles, a cue in hand or a night of live music — the mix changes, but the aim doesn't.
Beyond week-to-week club life, the Westport RSA doubles as one of the town's most flexible event spaces. It is available for venue hire for birthday parties, wedding receptions, reunions, meetings and just about any other event. The venue package includes staffed bar facilities, a stage, a jukebox and a dance floor — all available for hire — which makes it a practical, ready-to-go option for everything from a milestone birthday to a full wedding reception. The club bills it as an excellent venue at competitive prices, and functions are a firm part of what the clubrooms are for.
The RSA's gallery tells another side of the story. Photographs of ANZAC Day services, memorial gatherings, the Gates of Remembrance and poppies reflect the club's continuing role as a place of remembrance for Westport's service people and their families. Alongside the laughter and the raffles, that commemorative heart is central to what an RSA is.
Hours vary across the week, so note them down. The club is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and opens Wednesday to Sunday from 1pm, with Saturday hours running from 10.00am to midnight and Sunday from 11.00am to 8.00pm. If you are coming specifically for the restaurant or an event, a quick call first is never a bad idea.
One important note for anyone planning a meal: the kitchen is currently closed due to refurbishment. Restaurant hours at the club are normally Tuesday to Sunday, with lunch from 12pm to 2pm and dinner from 5.30pm, so it pays to phone ahead on 03 789 8872 to find out when service resumes. Wheelchair access is available, and the team can be reached by phone or at [email protected] for anything from membership enquiries to function bookings.
The Westport RSA remains, in its own words, a proud part of the Westport community, and it looks forward to welcoming new members. If you are after a place where the welcome is warm, the calendar is full and there is always a game, a raffle or a story waiting, the clubrooms at 137–139 Palmerston Street are a very good place to start.