David Penberthy
Character homes don’t come with much more character than this — the former Adelaide headquarters of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, the last remaining bikie clubhouse to be sold off under South Australia’s bikie laws.
Season 2 Episode 25 How the Modern Biker is no more ~ How the Internet Destroyed the Biker Lifestyle
The property — which features a bar, gym, pool room, CCTV system and is patriotically decorated with an Australian flag — is now under contract after being listed in July with an asking price of $550,000.
The sale means there is not a single motorcycle gang left in SA with its own headquarters as a result of tough laws introduced four years ago giving parliament the power to declare the gangs criminal organisations and their clubrooms proscribed premises.
The laws also prevent members from congregating in groups of three or more and ban them from mass public rides and wearing gang colours in licensed premises.
South Australia Police assistant commissioner (Crime) Scott Duval told The Australian the number of active bikies in SA had fallen since the laws took effect, from a high of about 350 to 200 today, with the alleged leaders of emerging gangs such as the Canada-based Rock Machine arrested before the organisation could establish a foothold.
“A lot of the 200 are in custody as well,” Mr Duval said. “It really disrupts them. If you can arrest some members and put them into custody, the gang loses the hierarchical structure it relies upon. Once you can attack the executive structure, you start to dismantle the group and they become quite fractured.
“The wearing of the colours in public, the very overt display that for some people caused quite a lot of apprehension … if you saw a bikie in colours, the intimidation factor was really considerable. We have seen the dismantling of that very overt gang presence.”
The state’s first bikie laws were introduced in 2009 by then premier Mike Rann but were struck down by the High Court as unconstitutional because they compromised the independence of magistrates by demanding restrictions be put on gang members without giving the courts the power to review evidence.
The state Labor government then moved in 2015 to bypass the courts and give parliament the power to declare certain groups outlaw criminal motorcycle gangs, letting police go after their members and activities.
Ten gangs are now listed — the Bandidos, Hells Angels, Descendants, Finks, Gypsy Jokers, Comanchero, Mongols, Nomads, Rebels and Red Devils — although the Nomads have largely ceased to exist as many of their leaders have been rounded up and jailed.
Despite the laws, SA has experienced an upswing in gang activity in the past two months, with a spate of cars and businesses firebombed by rival members.
Mr Duval said police believed the violence was linked to members defecting from one gang to another, in the latest instance between the Comanchero and Mongols.
“You always get those who patch over to a rival gang,” he said. “They do jump around a bit and that creates part of the problem when you step off that gang to a rival gang.”
Every state police force has its own anti-gang squad working under the national anti-bikie operation Operation Morpheus, where frontline police are backed by federal police, the taxation office and Austrac to monitor suspicious activities by the nation’s estimated 4500 bikies.
The real estate agent who sold the Hells Angels’ Clarence Gardens clubhouse, Stuart Costello of Magain Real Estate, said the property attracted “phenomenal interest”.
“The notorious nature of the building made it of interest to people wanting something a little bit edgy, like a men’s barbers or a micro brewery,” Mr Costello told The Australian. “With all the attention, we couldn’t have open inspections because we would have got 100 people through and only three of them wanting to buy it.
“It’s under contract and with its commercial zoning it will suit the needs of the new owner.”
Mr Duval said the sale of the property was another example of the power of the bikie laws.
And he rejected criticisms by civil libertarians and defence lawyers who warn that the laws could be used against other groups, saying the best way to avoid scrutiny was not to become one of the “one percenters” — the 1 per cent who don’t fit and don’t care, as journalist Hunter S. Thompson wrote in his history of the Hells Angels.
“We are not targeting a group of people who happen to ride a Harley on the weekend on a social motorbike ride,” Mr Duval said. “It was never intended for that, and will never be used for that.”
Insane Throttle 
18 responses to “The former headquarters of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang the last remaining biker clubhouse to be sold off under biker laws.”
That fuking sucks. Now i KNOW how RETARDED people with too much free TIME can do.
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That fuking sucks. Now i KNOW how RETARDED people with too much fmree TIME can do.
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Sounds like Australians need to take their country back poor bastards don’t have a constitution they may not be perfect for a prom dates but they do have the right to certain personal freedoms that we have in this country like keep and bare arms for instance you know the ones the kind that the democrats are trying to do away with over here
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That’s not freedom newzealand will be next
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First of all, I know you full of bullshit cause you call it a gang. Its not a gang its a club. You can’t call them a “gang” and use “club”house in the same damn sentence. Might as well call it a “gang”house.
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It’s like opening a Pandora box where’s it going to end
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You mean to tell me that the government takes your house, sells it, keeps the money and throws you in jail… All because of something you’re wearing??? Wow Australia, wow. Oppression much??
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These biker clubs have brought this apon themselves, if they would have been a little more incognito. Do the things that need to be done on the down low. Donup
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Stupidest idea ever. All this will do is make 99% of these guys go into super stealth mode. It won’t stop them. Just like banning alcohol was a bad idea, so is this. Bunch of typical idiotic politicians making stupid decisions without thinking of the long term effects as usual. Also they should be going after the real terrorists
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Arsehole establishment has its tough guy gangs, ie. Police. ‘Armed’ offenders ‘squad’-gang. and all the other uniformed gitt’s that try and force ‘society’s’ control freak laws on ‘US’ the regular joe’s that just wana get on with life. So leave the blokes who want their own brotherhood alone and stop being HYPOCRITICAL PRATTS. – remember how history has treated those who try to confine and restrict others FREEDOM’S. usually ends badly for the ‘establishment’ – even ‘Russia’ – ‘China’ have MC’s…and they’re bloody communists lol. RideFree RideHard.
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Facist pricks down under.
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What a crock of SHIT stupid government and dum asses that believe there bull, who fights or wars. Sure would like them on my side in case of a terroist attack.. Ask anyone that lives near a biker house, safe neighbourhood no break ins, and your kids totally safe. WAKE UP PEOPLE BEFORE IT’S TO LATE…
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First of all for the asshole who wrote this article if you ever refer to a MC as a Motorcycle Gang to any MC members face you might have your ass handed to you on a platter. No matter what you think of MCs it’s a very strong brotherhood and they don’t like to be preferred too as gangs, so do yourself a favor in your future articles you just might want to show a little respect
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Slippery slope. If a people allow a governing body to single out a group or an individual what’s to stop them from singling out anyone or everyone else? laws are plain in free countries. Why aren’t they enforcing the laws they have fairly? Sounds a lot like rulers not Representatives.
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Would feel safer walking through a street full of MC patches than a street full of Muslims or Sudanese
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One by one our rights are being taken away from us , no secret there lnteresting that the only force capable of resisting the police (storm troopers) who have more power than they know how to use are being targeted don’t poke the tiger is my advice should they combine somebody is in for serious grief
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I’d rather walk into a pub full of bikers than a pub full of footballers
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This is what Tyranny looks Like! American Bikers need to take notice, MCs fighting against each other is what that Government will use to Destroy all of them!
It is all supposed to be about Riding and Brotherhood!!!
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