Darebin Council decides fate of Northcote Golf Course

In an emotion-filled meeting Darebin councillors have made the final call on whether Northcote Golf Course will be open to the public.

Northcote Golf Course will remain as a nine-hole course.

The controversial Northcote Golf Course will remain as a nine-hole course, seven days a week.

In an emotion-filled City of Darebin council meeting on Monday night, councillors voted to keep the golf course open to golfers only, rejecting calls for the public to be granted access to the space.

Northcote Golfers were eager to see the course remain closed to the general public

Councillors voted five to four for golf to be played full time, with the financial benefits and longevity of the Club a key driver of the vote.

Chances of damage and vandalism to the course would also be decreased, councillors argued.

It comes as calls had grown louder for the course to become a shared space, as Melbourne’s lockdowns saw a flurry of locals using the course for recreational activities.

With golf outlawed during these times, the public were granted permission to use the course for walking, play, picnics, and exercise, prompting calls to make the change permanent.

Following a separate decision, 5.72 hectares of nearby open parkland will also be unlocked for the wider community to enjoy.