The club is believed to be considering a rule change to allow women to become members.

It is unknown whether the change in the rules will be put to a vote in the near future, bringing the club in line with other former men-only clubs in Ballarat, Geelong, Hamilton and Warrnambool.

But Ms Allan encouraged the club to think carefully about the message it sends to the community.

“It’s always puzzled me as to why a membership-based club would want to exclude 50 per cent of the population from becoming members,” she said.

Related: Could the men-only Sandhurst Club open up membership to women?

“I would really hope that the Sandhurst Club do eventually make this change.

“Ultimately it’s a matter for them and their members.

“It does reflect that they are recognising that they do need to move with the times and make this change.”

At the 2005 Sandhurst Club annual general meeting, two resolutions were put forward to replace male-specific pronouns with gender-neutral and female-inclusive terms.

After vigorous debate, the motions were comprehensively defeated 153 to 29.

Ms Allan said quite a bit of time had passed since then.

“This debate has been had, and will be continued to be had, as long as the club isn’t open to 50 per cent of the population. It’s a legitimate public debate,” she said.

“What ultimately the club decides to do is up to them, but this is a legitimate question of debate.”

The club is based in a William Vahland-designed building behind the Sandhurst Trustees building on View Street.

It was built using funds raised by members in 1893.

During the debate of 2005, the former president believed that women members could make a contribution to the club.

Others argued that allowing women members would put pressure on the facilities and would impact the privileges of wives and partners.

Opening up membership to women was also recommended by a business consultancy company in 1994 in an attempt to address falling membership.