By the mid-’90s, the future of Sydney’s Bear community was looking dire. Close to the extinction list, many were asking whether ‘Bear’ as an identity was still relevant to the gay men of Sydney.

A preposterous thought now, as the Harbour City Bears — one of the largest, and most high-profile gay and lesbian clubs in Australia — celebrates 15 years of furry friendship, solidarity among solid men.

In early 1995 Sydney’s original Bear congregation, Ozbears, found itself grinding to a halt. Five years after they began, then president of Ozbears, Bob Hay, was forced to inform members that the club would be shutting, citing a lack of interest as a main reason.

Not content to accept this as anything other than a natural hibernation period in a Bear’s life, a committed few came together for discussions in August 1995 at the now defunct Stronghold Bar in Surry Hills.

Harbour City Bears was born that night, with Julian Farrell, Seumas Hyslop, Geoff Ostling and Joe Chapman forming a loose but dedicated committee, presided over by David Coburn, the club’s first den convenor.

“It was primarily a social club for Bears and their admirers,” Hyslop recounted. “We didn’t have any major aims at that time, other than to provide a social environment for members.

“No great lofty aims to start with — we were just proud it was instantly successful.”

Instantly successful, and still so, HCB has not ceased growing. Incorporated in 1997, the club passed the milestone of 700 members earlier this year, an achievement all those interviewed agreed could be attributed to the open attitude of members and the committee, not to mention the fun to be found at HCB’s now world-renowned social events.

Migrating their way across the plains of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, the Bears have made their dens at the Barracks, the Flinders, the Oxford, most recently at the Lord Roberts, and of course, the original Beresford.

“Many recall those as the best days of the club,” Hyslop said. “It became so popular, it would spill out on to the laneway — back before police would come and move people on.”

A place of many unpublishable stories (including many a tale of the elusive Trough Man), Murray Mills (who joined the HCB committee in 1999) recalled the Beresford as a place where the licensee would “smile and walk the other way” to many a debuached though essentially good-natured sight.

“I remember one committee member in a fur lap-lap, pole dancing at the [Sydney] Gay Games Underbear Party at the Beresford,” Mills laughed.

“And I have great memories of the street party we had in the laneway next to Beresford after it closed, so we could all say goodbye.”

The site of the first Bear Essentials in 1996, it was at the Beresford that the Bears started building their reputation as the purveyors of some of Sydney’s finest parties, to be sought out by locals and international visitors alike.

In the 2000s, as Mardi Gras’ popularity was waning, the Bears were still flourishing.

Drawing roars of approval from parade crowds for their Bears of Australia entries, the admiration continued on the dancefloor.

“Bears of Australia: From Country to Coast, was one of the club’s first marching boy routines,” Mills recounted.

“It stood out, with 12 men in cowboy outfits of gold lame vest and black chaps, while another dozen marched in old-style swimwear and sashes printed with ‘Bondage Beach’ … some of us still have difficulties listening to Beach Baby or Life at the Outpost without a smile.”

“The level of talent and commitment that our volunteers showed getting those Mardi Gras entries and the parties together was amazing, and something I’m very proud of,” Bears president from 2003-05, Barry Taylor added.

“In 2005, we won the prize for best community float, and I remember this guy just furiously working to make our costumes. People were always very generous about that. We always did stuff on the cost of an oily rag, but people didn’t know that.

“I think one of the greatest compliments I ever received was when an overseas visitor, who worked in events management, asked me whether we used an events company.

“The Bears have always been known for being open, welcoming and having fun. Word spread pretty quickly that our Friday nights were fun, and a place where masculinity was really embraced.

“The club started as a social club, though an element of community service has always  been there too — we were always involved in projects to raise awareness about safe sex, or to help someone out — but to me, the greatest thing the Bears did was to say that there are many ways to be handsome.

“As a group, we let men know that you didn’t have to buy into a stereotype, which meant a lot of men, who might otherwise not have come out, came out.

“I watched a lot of people blossom by coming to Bears events — it’s been a truly amazing sight.”

Current president Jonny Bastin, who has further extended the welcoming paw through events like SydCubz — specifically put on for new and young members — similarly saw HCB events as a place to “celebrate being ourselves”.

“Many members of HCB have had a hard time in the past, not feeling accepted by the wider gay community where the focus is so often on the so-called body beautiful.

“Many young cubs have the feeling of coming out twice, first as a gay man, and then as a Bear,” he laughed.

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To Taylor, the early aims of “providing a welcoming space and encouraging bear culture” have not only been achieved, but exceeded initial expectations.

“What we have seen since, is a heightened acceptance of Bears.

“There has been real recognition of Bears as a subculture and real acceptance in the broader community.”

That acceptance, and in many cases real love felt in the community for those affable furry-folk, can in some part be attributed to profile-raising events like the Mr Harbour City Bear Competition, which began in 2009, but is in no small part a reflection of HCB’s enduring commitment to the community itself.

Involvement in the community — raising money and awareness for various causes and groups — has been an integral part of the club’s history, though many self-effacing members would try to downplay its importance.

“HCB isn’t any greater or lesser because of its charity work,” Hyslop said. “They just do it, and that’s commendable, but it doesn’t make the club any more important.”

Mills was also nonchalant, simply recognising that it has always been a part of what the club did, no biggie.

But 15 years of posing for some of the sexiest safe-sex campaigns around, and 15 years of raising money for everything from HIV charities to the Rangers Football Club is nothing to be sniped at, and is an element of the club’s spirit which is widely recognised as one of their most endearing traits.

“The work that former presidents like Murray Mills and Barry Taylor have done with the club and the community has been really inspiring to us,” Bastin said.

“We want to ensure that the club continues down that path.

“Former vice-president John Richardson and I see great potential in making HCB more than a social club.

“Today we work with an amazing array of different organisations [including the Inspire foundation, an organisation devoted to assisting youths with depression and mental illness].

“It’s that community involvement that will ensure others outside the Bear and cub movement get to know us, and that HCB will have more of a say and get to be more involved with the community.”

As HCB move into the next 15 years and beyond, presidents past and present are eager to see the club expand and strengthen.

“I want the club to grow and stay with us for a very long time,” Mills said.

“I’ve often joked, that I’d like to be chasing young cubs around the bar when I’m using a Zimmer frame.”

For Hyslop, there are inherent dangers in growing to big, too fast.

“There’s an increasing fragmentation going on in the Bear community,” he said.

“Fifteen years ago, Bear clubs were flourishing all over the world as they were the way to meet other Bears and admirers, back before it was mainstream.

“Now Bears are recognised as a subculture in the GLBT community, you can meet Bears in all sorts of places and online. So there’s probably a niche role in putting on smaller, cosier events that allow for easier interaction. It would be good to see those events get some official status within the Bear club infrastructure.”

All this and more is sure to be debated at the sparkling jewel of the birthday shenanigans, the club’s official Anniversary Dinner, to be held on Thursday, August 19, at the Russian Coachman in Surry Hills.

Open to members new and old, Mark Alsop will be present, spinning an array of nostalgia-inducing and unendingly danceable tracks, for anyone who feels like working off part of the three-course meal.

“Everyone’s welcome to come along, especially new members,” Bastin said.

“I hope to see lots of faces from the past though, because this will be a night to remember the last 15 years, as well as looking to the future.

“It’s going to be a fun opportunity to meet up with friends, celebrate the good things about the club and acknowledge all the work of our previous committee members and all the people who have volunteered over the years.”

“It’s going to be a fantastic night to really commend and celebrate all those people who have worked so hard to set up and maintain this club — the presidents, the committees and the members,” Taylor agreed.

For others who want to raise their glasses to toast the Bears, and add their voices to the cheers for furry, fabulous men in the world, there will also be a Crystal Ball on Saturday, August 21, at the Oxford Art Factory.

info: For more information, visit www.bearpride.com.au