Geraldton’s Mercantile Club set to go to auction as city attempts to recoup more than $75,000 in rates

The historic site of the former Geraldton Mercantile Club is set to go under the hammer in coming months when the City of Greater Geraldton puts it up for auction. The city moved to take possession of the venue last May after years of rates going unpaid. According to the city, $75,301.32 worth of rates were outstanding and previous attempts to contact the owners were unsuccessful. Mayor Jerry Clune said putting the site up for auction was standard procedure for when rates went unpaid for long periods. “It’s been abandoned; there didn’t seem to be any office bearers or anything left with the organisation,” he said. “With the large rates owing to the council, we followed procedure to assume the building and then go forth to auction it off.” The upstairs Mercantile Club, as well as the two ground floor shops and the rear parking, will all be sold off, with the total area covering 1447sqm. Mr Clune said there would be a reserve price which had to be met and would go to the city to help claim the unpaid rates. The reserve price is yet to be determined by the city. In its heyday, the Mercantile Club was a popular spot in the CBD, attracting hundreds to the pub. In 2022, a fire caused $750,000 damage to the historic building. Mr Clune said the building would need plenty of work to get it back in good condition but it was in an ideal location in the middle of the CBD. He hoped whoever took ownership of the land had positive ideas to help contribute to the city centre. “We’ve learned in the past people have purchased property at reasonably good prices and virtually just land banking and doing nothing with them,” he said. “That’s the unfortunate risk to be taken with such a building, whether the people have a vision and do a complete job on it or just sit on it.” The auction will be at the Geraldton Multipurpose Centre on Thursday, March 13, at 10.30am.