Proposal for ‘championship-standard’ golf course in Nambucca Valley

A BOLD proposal to merge two Nambucca Valley golf clubs and build a new championship-standard 27 or 36-hole course on a greenfields site has been outlined to club members at a special briefing.

The concept – which is in its infancy, and only if viable – would see the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club and Macksville Country Club merge, and the creation of a course at a new site in the Valley.

It is believed the site would need to be in the vicinity of 122 hectares (300 acres) and would include initially an 18-hole course, a housing estate and tourist accommodation.

The Macksville course would be subdivided and reassigned in-part for private housing, while the club premises would continue to trade, under the scenario.

The Island course at Nambucca Heads would likely remain operable for “eight to 10 years” and the club premises – which sit on a small freehold land envelope – may be retained by the clubs, or sold.

A preliminary briefing was provided to members at Nambucca and Macksville clubs on Sunday, 13 July, with Island Golf Club President Geoff Harris explaining that no decision had been made and the proposal was very much at the “discovery” phase.

If viable and pursued, the proposal was one for the future, he said, gesturing toward a table of members aged in their 20s and not something that would bring realisable benefit for people of his generation.

Both Macksville, and particularly The Island course, were heavily impacted by the recent flood.

Mr Harris said each significant flood event costs The Island club around $200-300k – which is not sustainable – and this is seen against a backdrop of more frequent and more extreme weather events.

Q&As followed the staggered two-club briefings, and members were assured they’d be kept abreast of any progress on the concept.

By Chris KNIGHT