Growling Frog golf course costs Whittlesea Council $1.5m a year

A COUNCIL in Melbourne’s north will “weigh up” the future of the Growling Frog Golf Course, which costs it a whopping sum in interest and maintenance every year.

The course, designed by Graham Marsh, is highly-rated by many golfers.

WHITTLESEA Council is losing $1.5 million a year running the Growling Frog Golf Course — and will consider other “options” for it.

City transport and presentation director Nick Mann said in an email that the council was undertaking a detailed assessment of all aspects of the Graham Marsh-designed course.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should the council continue running the course? Tell us below.

“This assessment is weighing up the cost to council of running the course against the community benefit derived from the course,” Mr Mann said.

Whittlesea Council spends almost $700,000 a year maintaining the course.

“A range of options will be presented in early September for councillors’ consideration.”

Midyear budget documentation for 2016-17, seen by Whittlesea Leader, forecast the golf course will lose $676,604 in operating costs alone.

On top of that, the council will pay a further $653,000 in interest on annual loan repayments.

The council borrowed $11.7 million in 2001 to buy the golf course.

The annual loan repayments for 2016-17 will be $1.227 million, of which $573,000 of the payment is on the principal.

The council still owes $9.757 million of the principal loan.

Adding further strain to the council’s coffers was a decision to take over the running of the Growling Frog Restaurant about 18 months ago.

The restaurant haemorrhaged money during the past financial year, losing $217,686.

The course maintenance contract costs the council $685,000 a year while income through buggy hire is worth $510,000, of which the council only receives $20,000.

In addition, the council has set aside $100,000 in its new works program for minor renovations at the course.