An Australian social media influencer has caused a stir with a public display outside one of Sydney's newest and most exclusive venues. Indy Clinton, 28, shared a video that has been widely described as 'cringeworthy', showing her dancing enthusiastically at the entrance to billionaire Justin Hemmes' recently opened RSL club, Club Rose Bay.
The Viral Moment Outside Club Rose Bay
Over the weekend, Clinton posted a clip to her social media channels capturing the moment. The influencer was seen gyrating to loud dance music while wearing a see-through brown lace top and khaki mini-shorts. To document the occasion, she enlisted a nearby security guard to film her on her smartphone, complete with the strobe light function activated to set the mood.
She accompanied the video with a telling caption: 'I never met a Merivale I didn't like @justinhemmes. My new fave - Club Rose Bay.' The venue, located in the upmarket harbourside suburb of Rose Bay, opened last month under Hemmes's hospitality empire, Merivale, with thousands reportedly queuing for entry on its debut.
Clinton's Personal Life and Online Persona
Indy Clinton, who shares three young children with her husband Ben Azar, has built a significant following by posting content she describes as relatable. Her relationship with Azar began in 2018, and the couple married two years later in 2020. Earlier this month, she publicly called out her husband over a dispute about who does more housework, a move typical of her engaging, personal brand of content.
Hemmes's Grand Vision for Sydney's Nightlife
The viral incident comes at a pivotal time for Justin Hemmes and Merivale. In October last year, the billionaire entrepreneur unveiled ambitious plans to transform five heritage buildings in Sydney's CBD into a vast, interconnected hospitality precinct. The proposed development, covering 16,300 square metres on the block bounded by King, York, Clarence and Barrack streets, aims to include a new hotel, office spaces, and fine dining establishments.
The proposal involves maintaining the heritage features of the existing buildings, including the Hotel CBD, which Merivale bought in 1995, and four other properties purchased in 2022. Hemmes has stated that Sydney's nightlife, after years hampered by lockout laws, COVID lockdowns, and the cost-of-living crisis, is ready for a 'new and exciting era'. He believes this precinct will stimulate a 24-hour economy, create hundreds of jobs, and offer more choice for residents and workers.
While Indy Clinton's dance may have been a light-hearted personal moment, it inadvertently highlights the intense public and media focus on Merivale's expanding influence on Sydney's social and hospitality landscape.
