Seventy-two per cent of members voted in favour of the decision at the annual state conference held in Griffith last week, with the historic result met by applause from the floor.

Alternative accommodation will now be examined, as well as a suitable site for the head office, and Orange branch president Elizabeth Lynch said it was the end on an era but she did not think the sale would inconvenience Orange members travelling to Sydney.

“The CWA has provided accommodation at that site for a long time now, but our primary focus is not to provide accommodation,” Ms Lynch said.

“It will mean a change for us, but I don’t think it will be inconvenient.”

Ms Lynch estimated the sale to take six to 12 months to be executed, and did not know how much the Potts Point property would be sold for, but said the association was in negotiations with hotels in Sydney to provide future accommodation to members at a discounted rate.

“The alternative was to spend CWA funds to refurbish the building. It would not be viable to do so,” Ms Lynch said, adding “our members will all get behind the decision”.

An office building with lower maintenance costs will be bought to house the head office, with additional floors to be leased out as an income stream for the association, which Ms Lynch said would help fund future projects.

alexandra.king@fairfaxmedia.com.au