The club was founded on the 4th of July 1945 as a branch of the Liberal Party of Australia. The then branch was officially opened by Leader of the Opposition and leader of the Nationalist Party in Tasmania Henry Baker. Among the first executive elected was Brendan Lyons, the son of Joseph Lyons, who was elected to the position of secretary and at the 1982 election was elected to represent the Division of Bass for the Liberal Party, serving as a Minister in Robin Gray's Government form 1984 to 1986. In 1966 the National Union of Australian University Students held one of its first student protests against the Vietnam War. The nationwide 'Day of Action' protested Australia's involvement in the war, including against sending conscripts to Vietnam. The Tasmania University Union's SRC passed a motion to participate within the national protest, however, the union's involvement was almost halted when the Club censured the SRC's actions in a Union membership meeting. The censure was eventually overturned and on the 'Day of Protest' the union participated. The Club organised a counter-protest, in which eight members of the Clubs handed out pro-war leaflets while wearing their academic gowns. In 1980 the State Liberal opposition introduced voluntary unionism in the Tasmanian Parliament but was defeated after heated debate. In 1983, under Liberal Premier Robin Gray’s government, the issue surfaced again. When the Government announced that it would introduce the then University Council backed the Student Union, and persuaded the government to set up a form of voluntary unionism: students could opt out of membership, but still had to pay the fee, renamed the Services and Amenities Fee. Few students took this alternative, only 55 students in 1985. In that same year with the leadership of Guy Barnett as President, the Club invited the Premier to address students. The Mercury Newspaper reported that there were rumours that eggs and tomatoes would be thrown at Gray, and students would be violent. In the event there was no violence, though over a thousand students came to hear Gray; he spoke competently, but the vast majority of the crowd was against him.
The Club has run endorsed and independent tickets for student union and National Union of Students delegates elections with varying degrees of success. While nationally Liberal Clubs and their candidates tend to receive around 5% - 10% of NUS delegate votes, in 2012 Club members secured a 3-3 tie with National Labor Students delegates. Club Vice-President, Claire Chandler won the position of Tasmanian State Branch President after a coin toss at the NUS National Conference in Melbourne. In 2015 and 2016 Club members obtained a majority of the NUS delegate positions, the first time Liberals had received a majority of the State positions. Subsequently, Clark Cooley was elected State Branch President. The Tasmania University Union disaffiliated from the NUS in December 2016.
Notable alumni
The Club has produced many notable alumni, including journalists such as The Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston, business leaders, politicians, and legal professionals. Currently, three of the four Tasmanian Liberal Senators have been past members of the club. Club members have also served in partner and affiliate organisations including Trent Hasson, Claire Chandler, Saul Eslake and Jonathon Duniam who served as President of the Young Liberal Movement and Eric Abetz and Christian Street who have both served as President of the Australian Liberal Students Federation.
