Darwin’s Only Gay Nightclub Is Officially Closing
Darwin’s only gay nightclub is officially closing after 24 years.
Throb Nightclub was shut down by the Northern Territory government last September due to safety issues – and now, the iconic venue has been placed into liquidation.
The venue’s directors voted to place the venue into liquidation in a meeting on Wednesday, hiring Tarquin Koch Accounting and Insolvency Services as liquidator.
Liquidator Tarquin Koch told Daily Mail Australia this had stopped Throb Nightclub from trading.
“A business that can’t trade is a business that’s going to fail,” he said.
“It had an unsafe order slapped on it with issues with the slab and that has been an ongoing issue with directors liaising with the relevant government departments and their landlord to try and rectify, so they can open the doors and obviously trade but they haven’t been able to do so. Hence the requirement to go into liquidation.”
Star Observer understands that other businesses have reopened in the premises since the forced shutdown by the government in 2023, like the Meraki Greek Taverna restaurant, but Throb wasn’t able to, due to tenancy complications.
One of Darwin’s most popular LGBT venues
Owners Tim Palmer, Mark Marcelis, Karen Dunham established the nightclub in 2000, and Throb became one of Darwin’s most popular venues, offering an inclusive and friendly space with drag shows after 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
The owners spoke out about the difficulties they faced with the shutdown in 2023, stating on Instagram they were “being made homeless after 23 years”.
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The closure of Throb means Darwin and the Northern Territory’s tropical Top End won’t have any LGBTQIA+ party venues whatsoever.
Star Observer has reached out to Throb nightclub for comment.
