Housing plans par for the course but golfers ‘won’t be affected’
IT’s been a year of change at this newly named Brisbane golf club. But the biggest change is yet to come after council called for the rezoning of land.
Logan
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IT’s been a year of change at the newly named Meadowbrook Golf Club with fresh management, the introduction of a $250 golf cart fee and a revamp of outdoor buildings.
But that’s where the changes would end for members, according to new general manager Steve Linskey.
Mr Linskey said Logan City Council’s long-term plans to turn the course’s front car park into a housing estate would not affect golfers or the 27-hole course.
“Very little will change for club members and players,” he said.
“The majority of the course is under the flood level and can’t be built on — so it’s protected.
“We are not worried even though we hold (the remainder of) a 99-year lease.”
Although exact plans are yet to be finalised and released, the council called for rezoning of land at the front of the golf course, currently a carpark and workshop, to allow apartments of up to 18m.
In consultation papers prior to the Meadowbrook Masterplan being released in December, the council said the golf club land played such an “important” role in the residential development it upgraded the medium-density zoning to expand the range of uses for the site.
A hotel, short-term accommodation, function centre, and an indoor sport complex were all permitted.
The council also advocated a flood study which showed that filling in some of the land under the flood level to make a larger development footprint would not have adverse impacts on the floodplain.
Mr Linskey said the lack of water after this year’s devastating flood was one of the course’s major hurdles and part of the reason the annual cart fee was introduced on October 1.
He said he was working closely with the council to “invent” a way to water the greens using recycled sewage in pipes under the course.
“Golf is a sport of invention and if we can come up with a way to tap into this water, which is already under the course, this would become a major asset for us and the community,” he said.
“We had to introduce the $250 annual cart fee for players using their own carts just so we can keep up with maintenance because the course is very dry in parts.”
Some of the changes riled long-time member and player Ian Mitchell, who said the fee was exorbitant and a lot more than the $50 to take a private cart to other courses such as at Mt Warren Park.
But Meadowbrook Country Club president Kerry Howie said the fee was comparable to other courses and said it would cost $22 for a non-member visitor to use their cart at Meadowbrook.
He said it was part of the changes to spruce up the club and followed similar moves by other clubs which had proved to be successful.
“It’s all part of the changes here but we have not seen membership drop off. In fact, other clubs have done similar including Logandale, which changed its name to Riverlakes.”
The new name will be on the club’s front gate by the end of the month.
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