Golf Collective pitches plan to transform Sydney’s Moore Park South

Golf lovers have presented a bold new plan to transform one of Australia’s major city parks, pledging the upgrade will expand green space and add several new public spaces while retaining an iconic 18-hole course.

Golf Collective, made up of Golf Australia, PGA Australia, Golf NSW and Moore Park Golf Club, presented its plan for Sydney’s Moore Park South to the public for the first time on Saturday, as it moves to stop a proposal from the NSW government to cut the course in half.

The government, led by Premier Chris Minns, wants to develop more parkland out of the course to cater to a growing population around the inner-city areas of Waterloo, Zetland, Redfern and Green Square.

Golf Collective argues the course can be retained while delivering 15 hectares of “quality and connected recreational space” for the public.

“Golf NSW believes the alternate proposal provides a win-win solution for the NSW government and a growing Sydney by offering a multitude of recreational activities, while continuing to service the massive demand for publicly accessible golf via an 18-hole course,” Golf NSW CEO Stuart Fraser said.

“The proposed recreational hub will truly be the heartbeat of the precinct and golf industry stakeholders welcome the opportunity to maximise the recreational benefits of the site for the community.”

The proposal would implant an adventure playground, nature play space, dog park, barbecue and picnic facilities, fitness trail, football oval, skate park half courts, a bicycle pump track and riding zone, athletics precinct and three kilometres of walking, running and cycling paths.

It would also build a 500-space car park.

The plan chips away part of the original golf course to allow more space for the developments, but would still preserve a par-68 18-hole course suitable for local, state and national competitions.

“By enhancing existing infrastructure and revitalising un-used and under-utilised areas, the initiative aims to create a park that caters to diverse recreational interests in a financially sustainable way that solves the many challenges in the broader precinct,” Save Moore Park Golf advocate Jared Kendler said.

“This exciting master plan delivers a minimum of 15 hectares of quality and connected recreational space for play, exploration, relaxing, walking and sports activities for people of all ages.”

The government’s proposed changes have not yet been detailed, but in a discussion paper from February, NSW Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said the redevelopment would repurpose 20 hectares of Moore Park Golf Course and retain a minimum 9-hole course, the existing driving range and clubhouse.

“It is an important step to addressing the needs of residents living in the city’s most densely populated suburbs while providing a pathway for golf to continue in Moore Park,” Mr Scully said.

The new public park is designed to cater to an expected 790,000 local residents in the area by 2041.

“There are almost 690,000 people within a 5km radius of Centennial Parklands,” the discussion paper states.

“The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure population projections estimate the population will rise by 100,000 people to almost 790,000 in 2041.

“The large majority of these people live in higher density housing forms such as apartments and terraces, with limited access to private open space.

“To support this density, the government is acting on a need to deliver more public open space for people to enjoy the outdoor environment.

“The government will repurpose the current golf course’s western boundary and part of the lands north of Dacey Avenue for transformed public open space.”

Mr Minns - who announced the Moore Park transformation in October 2023 - said he would not slash other golf courses across Sydney to help build more houses.

Moore Park Golf Course is one of 16 government-owned public golf courses in metropolitan Sydney. It is run by a private operator under a service agreement with the NSW government.

The plan to cut the course in half is contentious, and attracted a rebuke from Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg, who has thrown his support behind the “Save Moore Park Golf Course” campaign.

“I know I’m not a citizen of Australia but I am pleading to you and everybody in NSW to save Moore Park Golf Club,” he said.

“It’s been here for over 100 years and it’s been giving people hundreds and hundreds of years of pleasure and joy.”

But City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore lobbied the government to alter the course for more parkland.

“In the face of increasing need for public open space, we asked the government: Is an 18-hole golf course still the best use of inner city public land?” she told NewsWire on Friday.

“That question is fundamentally one of equity and putting our public land to its best use in the community interest.

“The government accepted our proposal and has now committed funding to convert the course from 18 holes to nine, retaining the larger area of land for golf, the clubhouse, depots, parking and popular driving range and returning up to 20 hectares of land to Moore Park for public recreation.

“It has been the policy of successive state governments to increase housing in the Green Square urban renewal area and by 2040, up to 80,000 more people will be living in the Green Square and Waterloo area within 2km of here.”

Ms Moore said some $2.6m had already been included in the state budget for conversion work.

“It is imperative for growing, densely-populated communities to have access to open space with parkland and this will really help,” she said.

Ms Moore said the area had undergone significant urban renewal since the golf course was established on largely industrial land in 1919.

“It is really about the use of public land … into the future,” Moore said.

“People that do the high density (living) really do need access to public parkland.”