Northcote Golf Course: Council debate delays works until next year

Golfers and park lovers continue to debate the future of the Northcote Golf Course as councillors also squabble over improvement works.

The long-fought debate over the future of public golf course in Melbourne’s inner north continues to divide both local council and the community, with works to improve the site delayed by councillor infighting.

For two years, conflict has raged over the use of the Northcote Golf Course, with locals using the course as a public park during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

While many residents want the course opened to the community as a public park, others want to keep it as a nine-hole golf course.

The state government granted Darebin council $200,000 in funding in April last year to go towards redesigning the site to accommodate both golfers and walkers, but councillors are still arguing over how to spend the funds after a recent motion delayed all works until next year.

Councillor Emily Dimitriadis introduced the motion that stated the council should wait until November, when it would have received reports on all designs for future works, despite the council agreeing to proceed with designs immediately weeks earlier.

Ms Dimitriadis said the delay had the council in a “stronger position” to seek government investment for the precinct and that no spending or works should occur until next year.

“This (is) to ensure we receive an overall picture of the whole Northcote Public Golf Course precinct, rather than wasting more resources and ratepayers’ money,” she said.

But other Darebin councillors claimed Ms Dimitriadis had ulterior motives for delaying the works.

Councillor Tom Hannan said the motion was an attempt to delay the site from becoming more accommodating to the wider community.

“It's very clear that the intention of this motion is to hold up works on the north park and the pathway,” he said.

“It‘s holding us all back … as a community, as a council and staff (who are) ready to get on with this work.

“There is a palpable feeling that I pick up from the community of can we please just get on with this now.”

The council agreed in March to spend the government grant on designs for a golf course and construction of new fairway, green and tees, designs of new eastern pedestrian and cycling pathway, designs and due diligence of new northern park and improvements to the golf clubrooms to support community use.

Councillor Susanne Newton said the funding was being “messed with”.

“We are in a resource constrained environment, we are a council that should be doing all we can to seek grants from state government and federal government. ,’’ she said.

“Instead what we're doing is having councillors bring back an item that has already been passed to us at another meeting to mess with it.”

The motion divided the council with a 4-4 vote, but was passed with mayor Julie Williams’ deciding vote.

According to council officers, the delay will mean that designs will not be completed until early 2024.

Darebin resident James Dawson said the conflict over the golf course was all “party politics”.

“We all know it's the whole thing has been driven by the Green faction in there,” he said.

“What's the point of even having a discussion, because none of (the councillors) will move across the floor.”

Mr Dawson said the golf course was an important revenue stream for the council, as it generated profits from green fees paid by golfers.

“It's called wasting money … I‘m really annoyed at the confusion in the division that’s been created here.”

In a statement last year, Local Government Minister Melissa Horne said the division in the council was “disappointing”.

“It’s been disappointing to see the divisive way in which the debate about the future of the Northcote Golf Course has played out at the local government level,” Ms Horne said.

“There is a genuine opportunity here to achieve a really positive outcome for our community, one that doesn’t involve shutting down our sports clubs or facilities … Darebin Council (needs) to work together to see this space preserved, enhanced and made more accessible to residents.”