Description

The Wild Geese (formerly Sarah Sands Hotel) is a Georgian-style hotel on the corner of Brunswick and Sydney Roads, representing a significant chapter in Irish-Australian history. Established in 1854, its moniker comes from the Sarah Sands steam ship that landed in Melbourne during the Gold Rush era. The hotel’s original licensee, Robert Barry, was rumoured to have been onboard the ship.

In July 1896 and 1897, riots took place outside the hotel when Irish Catholics protested at a parade organised by Protestant “Orangemen” to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William of Orange’s victory over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690.  The pub had many incarnations, for a time serving as an adult club in the 1980s, and rebranding to long-standing Irish institution Bridie O’Reilly’s in 1997. In 2020, Jackson Clements Burrows was engaged to redevelop the site, designing a seven-storey mixed-use development and retaining and refurbishing the hotel, which once again became the Sarah Sands. In 2023, the Sarah Sands was acquired by Australia’s longest-running Irish club, the Celtic Club, as its permanent venue and clubhouse. The hotel underwent a half-a-million-dollar refurbishment by Mitchell & Eades, rebranding as The Wild Geese—a term used to refer to Irish diaspora. The venue includes a ground-floor Irish-influenced bistro and members-only upstairs space, which features a bar, whiskey lockers, library and meeting rooms.

What's On

Peter Gavin, Chair of the Celtic Club Cultural and Heritage Subcommittee, will share the fascinating history of the Celtic Club and take visitors through the public bar and members-only upstairs, which hosts a members’ bar, rare books collection, whisky lockers and meeting rooms for hosting language classes and literary groups. Sharon Louey-Sheldrick, Senior Designer at Mitchell & Eades, who was behind the club’s most recent iteration, will also discuss the interior scheme, which is sophisticated and contemporary yet still acknowledges the colourful history of the venue.

In Collaboration With:

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  Peter Gavin

  Peter Gavin is the chair of the Celtic Club’s Cultural and Heritage Subcommittee, and was former club secretary for 14 years. Peter is also the secretary of Eureka Australia Descendants and Supporters Inc. and is a former member of parliament for the state seat of Coburg.

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  Sharon Louey-Sheldrick

  Sharon is a senior interior designer at Mitchell & Eades, and the lead interior decorator on The Wild Geese Hotel. Sharon’s unique work experience and passion involves sourcing luxurious custom materials and finishes, finding unique objects and art and developing bespoke furniture pieces, which has involved collaboration with manufacturers, furniture makers, craftsmen & artists from all around the world.