Northcote Golf Course plan from Labor MP would cut course to six holes to create park

The phenomenon was repeated across the globe where lockdowns occurred as the pandemic triggered debate over whether the public was best served by keeping the many hectares set aside for golf courses just for golfers.

The battle over the Northcote course – which repeatedly had its fence cut open during lockdown until Darebin Council conceded defeat and left it open permanently – has been particularly hard-fought.

A 2800-member Facebook group, the Community to Unlock Northcote Golf Course, splintered into those who wanted the course turned into parkland and others willing to share it with golfers.

Ms Theophanous said shortening the course while keeping the remaining six holes for golf “would avoid safety concerns” of an attempt to have golf on some days, and park use on others, as well as ensuring the fairways and greens were kept to a playable standard.

She said shared timetabling could create ongoing tensions between users and blurred responsibilities around maintenance.

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“This is one option for a workable compromise that adds to community amenity rather than takes away from it,” she said.

A six-hole golf course will sound novel to those used to either nine or 18 holes. But it was floated in a 2017 Victorian government golf strategy on what to do with courses – with land in Melbourne in high demand for housing and the sport slowly dwindling.

That report flagged the possible “transformation of [some courses] into shorter forms and different types of golf facilities including three and six-hole circuits”. Shorter courses have been successful in other countries, particularly in inner-urban areas where time pressures have driven demand for shorter golf rounds.

Thousands of people visited Northcote golf course for the first time while it functioned as a park during lockdown, partly due to the opening of a $3 million footbridge over the Merri Creek. The bridge links East Brunswick to Northcote for walkers and cyclists, and during lockdown made the golf course easily accessible for those on the East Brunswick side of the river.

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Brunswick Greens MP Tim Read said he was open to the idea of shortening the golf course.

“The new bridge brings the golf course closer to Brunswick. So rather than keep this large publicly-owned space off-limits to all but a few, I’m attracted to any proposal that opens it up, including this one, or splitting the time between golf and walking,” said Mr Read,

Merri Creek forms the border between his electorate and Ms Theophanous’ seat.

Darebin Council will ultimately decide on the golf course’s fate.

Recent local elections saw a number of councillors win spots who support the golf course being turned into a park. Consultation over the course’s future will begin soon.