Curlewis Golf Club owners Lyndsay and David Sharp looking at Balyang site

A group of golfers fighting for the future of their club will passionately plead their case to Geelong council this week, as the owner of multiple Bellarine venues flags her interest in the site.

Thomas McCall and Troy Freeman are fighting to save the Balyang par three golf course. Picture: Alan Barber

The owners of a popular Bellarine driving range and mini golf facility have their eyes on a riverside course where the members are fighting furiously to maintain the status quo.

Geelong council will convene on Wednesday night to hear from members of the par three Balyang golf course in Newtown as part of a consultation process that commenced in August.

A report is then expected to come before council in the coming months when the future of the financially strained facility will become clearer.

Lyndsay Sharp, owner of The Range @ Curlewis, confirmed her Sharp Group’s interest in the Newtown site.

“We are in the hands of council with what they want to do there … we’ve told them we would be interested,” she said.

“It is a totally different kettle of fish there (Newtown compared to Curlewis), with a lot more sensitivity needed in terms of the local residential area.”

Ms Sharp and husband, David, purchased the Curlewis Golf Club for $3.7m in 2015, and later invested $8m to develop The Range at the southwestern edge of the site.

Featuring multiple bays and a mini golf course, as well as food and beverage options, the facility is open until 10pm daily and has become popular not only with golfers, but as a destination for birthday parties and work events.

The Sharps also operate other well known Bellarine venues, including Leura Park Estate, Jack Rabbit Vineyard, and Flying Brick Cider Co.

David and Lyndsay Sharp ahead of The Range @ Curlewis’ opening in January 2018. Pictures: Alan Barber

Balyang member Troy Freeman has headed the campaign to keep the current format at Balyang, with an online petition supported by almost 1050 people.

Mr Freeman will be one of five people to address council on Wednesday, where he will argue that minor improvements and increased promotion of the facility should be considered before any proposed redevelopment.

“Feedback gained through the Save Balyang petition and from on-course interactions with the playing public, has shown there is an overwhelming view to retain the course and an emphatic opposition to any driving range development,” he said.

“There are three golf courses within 5km of Balyang that either have a driving range or similar practice facility, so it makes no sense to replace a facility that is unique with something already widely available in the region.”

Troy Freeman is heading a campaign to retain the par three Balyang golf course. Picture: Alan Barber.

Mr Freeman urged council to “complete a proper and detailed review to consider the legacy they stand to leave with their final decision”.

The par three course opened in 1993 and remains under the full management of Geelong council despite the adoption of a golf facilities strategy in November 2022 that committed to outsourcing management of not only Balyang, but also Lara and Queens Park golf clubs.

Council last year put the call out for “innovative solutions” at Balyang ahead of a formal lease process.

Located on council-owned land, interested parties were last year encouraged to put forward “innovative solutions” for the Newtown site. Source: City of Greater Geelong.

Geelong council’s executive director of city life Anthony Basford said 31 submissions were received during community consultation.

“The (submissions review) panel will comprise of councillors, and we anticipate that the report will come before council approximately three months after the panel is held,” he said.

Originally published as Curlewis Golf Club owners Lyndsay and David Sharp looking at Balyang site