Golf drives change in tourism focus on King Island

TASMANIA’S  biggest island has an enviable quandary on its hands as it embraces a new tourism future based on sport as well as food.

Pictures supplied from Cape Wickham golf course, King Island, which is set to open to the public on the 30th October

TASMANIA’S  biggest island has an enviable quandary on its hands as it embraces a new tourism future based on sport as well as food.

How does King Island ret­ain its raw island culture and laid-back charm while at the same time providing services to, and meeting the expect­ations of, well-heeled inter­national visitors wanting to tee off on one of the world’s most spectacular golf courses?

King Island’s past tourism pull has revolved around the award-winning beef, cheese and  seafood   produced   there.

The Bass Strait island continues to milk that reputation but tourist numbers have now surged to unprecedented levels on the back of the construction of new golf courses, which are already being rated among the top in the world.

Cape Wickham Links has only been open since October last year but already 800 peop­le have played there.

Another 800 visited during preview rounds at the course in March and April. There are views of the ocean and the Cape Wickham lighthouse from all of the 18 holes.

The first sign things have changed on King Island hits you as you land on the tarmac.

The airport, which was once little more than a shed, is now a sleek, modern facility complete with cafe.

Cape Wickham Links general manager Debbie Fisher admits many people first scoffed at the idea of building a world-class course on a rem­ote section of a remote island.

“People thought it was a crazy idea but we have now been ranked No.5 in Australia and 24th in the world,” Ms Fisher said as golf buggies headed in all directions last week. “It feels fantastic. We thought we were too young to be considered but to be in the world rankings after such a short amount of time is just great.”

Golf Australia Magazine did not consider fellow King Isl­and course Ocean Dunes, bec­ause it did not have 18 holes open at the time of pub­lication.

But the magazine had the following to say about Tasmania’s burgeoning rep­utation: “Cape Wickham on Tasmania’s King Island only opened in late October but ­despite that has already established itself as one of Aust­ralia’s premier golf courses catapulting into fifth place in the 2016 Golf Australia Magazine rankings.

“Along with Barnbougle Dunes and Barnbougle Lost Farm, Cape Wickham’s inc­lusion in the top five now means that Tasmania have three of Australia’s best golf courses and is fast becoming a mecca for Australian [and world] golf travellers.”

Golf course reviewers exp­ect Cape Wickham to be ranked in the world’s top 10 courses soon.

The first sign things have changed on King Island hits you as you land on the tarmac.

Many of the tourists turning up to play a round and stay a day or two exploring the ­island are from the US, Germany and New Zealand.

“With Ocean Dunes at Currie coming online as well — which is a very different course — King Island is on its way to becoming a golfing hub,” Ms Fisher said.

“But at the same time we don’t want King Island to change too much.

“We were not expecting such a global response so fast but I suppose it is a wonderful problem to have.”

Cape Wickham has already managed to attract some big names, inc­luding golfing legend Greg Norman and AFL legends Sam Newman and Jack ­Riewoldt.

In April, the inaugural Bass Strait Masters will see 80 competitors fly from Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne to King Island and then onto Barnbougle Dunes/Lost Farm in Tasmania’s North-East.

The event sold out in just an hour and Ms Fisher said linking King Island’s new golf offerings to an established Tasmanian course like Barnbougle would prove a win-win situation for both.

Cape Wickham Links, which is the brainchild of American course designer Mike DeVries, is now working on its next venture — the construction of a 20-room accommodation facility among the sand dunes.

“We are talking four-star accommodation with six-star views,” Ms Fisher said.

At the moment the clubhouse is the only facility on site and it is serving up hundreds of meals each day.

Acting King Island Mayor Jim Cooper said there had been a big upturn in tourism since the golf courses were ­established.

“Until Ocean Dunes has 18 holes it won’t really boom but after that who knows how big golf tourism will get,” he said.

“Lots of reviewers have been to the ­island — they are putting King Island on the world golfing map. It is exciting.”

A golfer approaches the second green at Cape Wickham golf course, King Island.