Maroondah Golf Review: 700 sign petition to keep Croydon’s Dorset Golf Course to 18 holes
The next stage of Maroondah Council’s contentious golf review is expected within weeks after hundreds of people said they didn’t want their local course sliced up to make way for other attractions. See what they had to say.
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More than 700 people have teed-off on Maroondah Council with a clear message — don’t cut up Dorset Golf Course.
Four petitions containing 721 signatures were combined and tabled at last night’s meeting, urging the council not to reduce the Croydon course from 18 holes.
Consultant WellPlayed suggested the council alter one of its two courses — Ringwood or Dorset — to a short-format course in its Maroondah golf review.
The consultant suggested replacing the lost holes with other golf-related attractions such as virtual golf, a mini golf course, an expanded pavilion or a driving range.
“We, the undersigned, do not want this proposal to go ahead and we believe the Dorset Golf Course should remain an 18-hole golf course,” the petition reads.
Cr Paul Macdonald, who created and distributed 800 flyers to homes in Croydon South urging residents to have their say, welcomed the petition.
“There is definitely a message there from our community about the uses of the golf course, and it will be interesting to see what council does down the track,” he told the gallery.
“As a councillor I am very happy to see over 700 people show interest in Dorset (golf course).”
Cr Macdonald discussed the golf review and his flyers with Maroondah Leader last month, saying he was “totally opposed” to a short-format course at Dorset or Ringwood.
In the flyer, he estimated the cost of redeveloping one of the courses at $20 million.
“We can spend the money on something much better than that,” he said.
“Our two courses are two of the best in south east Melbourne, they are very well managed and beautiful to play on.
“It would be a shame to lose them to a golf range with all the trimmings.”
Mayor Mike Symon has also said he doesn’t want to see the courses cut up for non-golf developments.
A Maroondah Leader Facebook poll last month found 92 per cent of 950 voters did not want Ringwood or Dorset golf course shortened to 12 holes.
Public consultation for the golf review was extended by five weeks and closed on January 26.
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The council’s director of assets and leisure, Adam Todorov, said the petitions would be considered as part of officers’ analysis of community feedback.
Mr Todorov said the council had not made any decisions on WellPlayed’s suggestions, including whether to introduce new golf attractions.
He said the next stage of the review, a report from the consultation period, would be compiled in the coming weeks and presented at a future council meeting.