Chris Minns pushes ahead with plans to turn half of Moore Park Golf Course into a park

The Minns government will push ahead with its plan to seize half of Moore Park Golf Course, scotching golfers’ hopes of keeping their 18-hole course.

Golfers have failed in their bid to retain an 18-hole course at Moore Park, with the Minns government pushing ahead with its plan to create a new “central park”.

As revealed in The Sunday Telegraph last year, the Minns government is proposing to seize half of Moore Park Golf Course for parkland to justify greater development in one of Sydney’s already densest residential areas.

The plan entails turning 20ha of the course into green open space for the community while retaining a nine-hole golf course, driving range and clubhouse.

As part of the process, the government sought community feedback with the proposal generating a huge response, especially from golfers.

The feedback report – obtained by The Sunday Telegraph – revealed more than 8600 people completed a survey, almost 370 attended “pop-up” sessions, with another 321 writing submissions.

Jamie Armitage and friends at Moore Park Golf Club. Picture: Rohan Kelly

More than half of those responding to the question of what they would like to “see and do” in the new recreational area said they wanted the 18-holf golf course retained.

Another 30 per cent wanted a place be “active”, 24 per cent to “connect with nature” and 23 per cent to “relax”. Just over 10 per cent said they wanted it to be a place where they could “bring dogs”.

Premier Chris Minns will seize half of Moore Park Golf Club’s land to turn it into a public park. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Asked how to “reimagine” golf at Moore Park, more than 80 per cent of people said they simply wanted “a golf course”, with others suggesting a driving range, night golf or range simulation.

Suggestions under a nine-hole proposal included also creating an “enhanced driving range”, and offering mini, disc and night golf.

There were mixed views over whether the new park should have cafes and restaurants, with some people saying they were important for park users while others rejected the “commercialisation” of the proposed new open space.

Football NSW supported more green space for football, while AFL NSW/ACT and Sydney Swans said there was an opportunity to “provide for all stakeholders”.

The Eastern Suburbs Football Association noted the demand for “organised football parks, facilities and clubs”.

A source close to the consultation claimed the “pro-golfing community” had run a concerted campaign to lobby for the retention of the course, which had included letter-writing campaigns.

The plan to cut the course even attracted a comment from Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg: “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.

The government has put aside $2.6 million for preliminary design and planning works to create the new park, although it has declared there would be no golf course reconfiguration until after the current operating agreement ended in mid-2026.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the community feedback would help inform the design of Moore Park South.

“Discussions with the community and stakeholders will continue and we anticipate coming back with the new park design and golf offer in 2025,” he said.

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Originally published as Chris Minns pushes ahead with plans to turn half of Moore Park Golf Course into a park