Check out these phenomenal vintage photos of Perth’s forgotten fitness empire
Picture this: it’s the ’70s, the heady days of glamour and excess, Alan Bond – not yet the owner of any Van Goghs – is just hitting his stride. It’s all about keeping slick, trim and tight… Which means a lifetime membership to a cutting-edge gym!
Where else could you go but the growing fitness empire of the Laurie Potter Health Clubs? We’ve taken a trip down memory lane thanks to these amazing photos via the State Library of WA. For the you, you want to be!
Join us, won’t you?
This was, of course, a different time – a time where tanning reigned supreme, we were all about soaking up the UV rays. Melanoma who?
Although why soak up the sun from a tanning bed when you can relax in such a picturesque courtyard? The perfect accompaniment to swimming laps in that stunningly gorgeous indoor pool!
Of course, going to the gym is all about pushing your body to the limits! This is what peak performance looks like!
If you didn’t work up enough of a sweat with your workout, then of course the sauna has got to be the next stop.
Of course, delicate ladies need their own special gym – enter Forme Divine, Laurie Potter’s health club for women – complete with beauty services, Lancôme discount, jazz ballet classes and crèche.
With such a revolutionary approach to fitness, you’ll want to show your appreciation for Laurie Potter’s Health Clubs all day long – and we’ll be honest with you, we’d cop this merch in a heartbeat.
Of course, what goes up must come down – and Laurie Potter’s domination of the fitness landscape was not to last forever. According to Laurie Potter’s own website, at its peak the chain had 15 clubs with over 82,000 members – as well as equipment outlets, resorts, restaurants, an orange juice factory and even a regional airline.
In spite of a huge market share (and the uptake of lifetime memberships up until its final day), the health club empire collapsed in September of 1987 – with debts of $36.7 million.
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Some photos are available to purchase via the State Library Of WA. All photos, unless stated, via the State Library Of WA.