Clover Moore in war of words with golfers over Moore Park Golf Club conversion

Sydney Mayor Clover Moore has taken a pot shot at ‘Rolls-Royce’ driving golfers from Sydney’s north shore and eastern suburbs as she doubles down on her support for Moore Park Golf Course.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is facing backlash after a pot shot at ‘Rolls-Royce’ driving golfers from Sydney’s north shore and eastern suburbs, as she doubles down onplans for Moore Park Golf Course to be carved up for greenspace.

The City of Sydney is set to launch a public campaign encouraging inner city residents to submit feedback on the NSW Government’s contentious proposal to convert a 20 hectare chunk of Moore Park Golf Course into parkland.

Ms Moore has publicly back the course conversion – a plan she said had broad support from the residents in the densely-populated surrounding area.

Golf club members are understood to have written to councillors, opposing the loss of golfing greens following the NSW Government decision.

Ms Moore argued consultation on the conversion of Moore Park had attracted stiff opposition from out-of-town golfers including those residing across the Harbour Bridge on the north shore.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore pictured with Premier Chris Minns and fellow councillor Linda Scott during the Moore Park announcement last month.

“Last time around when we were communicating this to people there was the most amazing campaign from golfers from the north shore and eastern suburbs who really like this course,” she said.

“Golfers especially from the eastern suburbs opposed the change despite there being 12 other golf courses within 10km of Moore Park.

“They drive their very expensive cars – when I was at a meeting of the community board (of the golf club) a week ago there was even a Rolls-Royce in the carpark.

The 18-hole course would be cut to nine-holes under the NSW Government proposal.

“The golf club is not for the people of Redfern, Surry Hills, Waterloo and Green Square, it’s being used by people who drive to Moore Park, park in the carpark and play golf.”

Moore Park Golf Club president John Janik has hit back at comments from Ms Moore, who has previously been pictured being driven around in chaufered cars.

Mr Janik said the course is “in no way is exclusive”.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has been chauffeur-driven in a Nissan Leaf electric car in the past.

“Clover is trying to suggest we’re a private course that caters for the old golfers from Vaucluse, but we’re a public club with 7000 juniors playing a year – I can guarantee they’re not driving Rolls Royces,” he said.

“I drive a Hyundai, most the cars in the carpark are Toyotas. The type of vehicles people drive is in no way an indication of who uses the golf course.”

Moore Park Golf Course president John Janik.

Figures provided by the club show 35 per cent of its golf users reside in the City of Sydney Council area, while a further 38 per cent live within the three surrounding council areas of Woollahra, Randwick and Waverley.

City of Sydney councillor Yvonne Weldon said the course has a “broad” and “open” membership and is used by many inner city residents.

“My grandson has been attending this golf course with his uncle and grandfather – this is being used not by people with Rolls-Royces,” she said.

“It’s a public course, it is not the Royal Sydney. It’s one of the more accessible golf courses in the area and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to play on.”

In October, the NSW Government confirmed its intention to convert the golf course from an 18 hole to nine hole course when the current operating agreement expires in 2026.

The conversion of sections of the golf club is aimed at meeting housing density in the inner city.

Premier Chris Minns said the conversion would provide much-needed green space for the estimated 80,000 residents expected to live within 2km of Moore Park by 2040.

The City of Sydney previously spent $49,402 in 2020 to survey residents on repurposing the golf course, with almost half of online respondents saying they wanted the course kept as it is.

Of the residents of 400 households surveyed within five kilometres of the site, 23 per cent wanted the 18-hole course retained.

“In a built up inner city environment where land is expensive, is an 18 hole golf course really the best use of precious parkland,” Cr Moore said.

But councillor Wheldon argued it was a “bit rich” for successive governments “to sell off swaths of Zetland and Green Square to developers and then cry foul when there isn’t enough green space.”