Perambuler: What could be...Marrickville Golf Course and Greenway

Thursday, June 13, 2019

What could be...Marrickville Golf Course and Greenway

Lane Cove Pennant Team Bayview, 26 Feb 2016

As someone who made a point of playing in the 18 hole women's competition while I still had my golf handicap Lane Cove golf club at the start of my election campaign. I have since, given up my club membership and associated handicap insurance etc and have not had the chance to play much golf.

I have walked through the golf course (without golf sticks) on at least three occasions - to check out the community consultation which was held there. to the community meeting and to a Greenway briefing (the Greenway starts at the far end of the golf course.
The clubhouse is different to the golf course. The Club house is not part of the masterplan - that is a lease between the state and the club.

Marrickville Golf Course, Cook's River

Lane Cove is a 9 hole golf course whose operation is tendered out by Lane Cove Council. The Council manages the course and the club has negotiated time for golf competitions on the course. The course is in a remnant bush setting with degraded waterways running through it and a gully which was once a dumping ground.
The Marrickville Golf Course is currently managed by the Golf Club on a lease from Inner West Council across land with various ownership.

Water is a big issue for the Marrickville Golf Course which used water from the Dibble water hole. However, this ran out and the banks became unsafe. Sea level rise may also be a factor - the water became brackish in the water hole, there is also inundation of the course. There is a lot of bushcare activities around the golf course and the waterhole.

Dibble Avenue Waterhole: biodiversity: https://www.bush-it.com.au/public/bushland_dibble_avenue_waterhole.html
Dibble Avenue Waterhole: Building with 100 people threatens to collapse in Sydney https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/building-with-100-people-threatens-to-collapse-in-sydney/news-story/351b2e87048edaaa2737bec3216aa9dc

Start of Greenway at Cook's River and Marrickville Golf Course

There is lots of potential for this land and an 18 hole golf course does provide some benefits to wildlife as well as golfing. However, other human activities are too risky as there is a big chance of getting hit by a golf ball and even a golf stick if the public is not as aware as golfers of where golf balls end up.

So, I think we do need to find the right balance and work with the land and location - it may be that we could create a nature reserve for biodiversity, wetlands, walkways, cyclepaths, support the mangroves, create park spaces for picnics and kids to learn to ride bikes.

Some ideas...

After years of planning and construction Croydon’s Wangal Park will open on Friday https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/after-years-of-planning-and-construction-croydons-wangal-park-will-open-on-friday/news-story/25c03da6a3cb40be5fe480fb97b687bb
Long neck turtles number grow in Annandale thanks to volunteers https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/long-neck-turtles-now-a-regular-site-in-whites-creek-valley-park-in-annandale/news-story/194f8054408582c003e6a08b302cd671
Hyde Park Perth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park,_Perth
Kings Park Perth https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park
Tour of Sydney Park kids cycling playground https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c1on6O95Qs

Artificial Turf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_turf

Greenway Plans

https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/greenway

Marrickville Parklands including golf course draft plans

Background

During May and June 2018 Inner West Council completed community engagement on the current use and future vision for the Marrickville Golf Course and the Dibble Avenue Waterhole, an important wildlife habitat which has been used by the Golf Course since the 1940s for irrigation.

What is happening now?

The feedback we received has been used to develop a draft Plan of Management (POM) and a Master Plan.
The Plan of Management covers leases, licences and use of the land
The Master Plan outlines a vision and actions for improvement over ten years
The Master Plan has two options for the future use of Marrickville Parklands including golf course.

Option A: Maintain the golf course at 18 holes with upgraded parklands.
Option B: After five years transform the course to 9 holes with upgraded parklands and additional community open space. This is the recommended option in the draft Plan of Management.

https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/marrickville-golf-course-and-dibble-avenue-waterhole