Contents Introduction

Background Objectives Vision Document structure Community land Categorisation A brief history Local and regional context Site description Leases and licences Current and permitted uses Scale and intensity of uses Future development of the land Values and issues

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Management objectives

Introduction Development of the land Safety & risk management Maintenance Tourism Course amenities Access Inappropriate access and use Security and vandalism Sponsorship Traffic and parking Waste management Catchment management Water management Course quality Dogs on the course Noise Stray golf balls Public art Climate change Vegetation and habitat

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Strategy plan

Introduction Development of the land Safety & risk management Maintenance Tourism Course amenities Access Inappropriate access and use Security and vandalism Sponsorship Traffic and parking Waste management Catchment management Water management Course quality Dogs on the course Noise Stray golf balls Public art Climate change Vegetation and habitat

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Monitoring Monitoring program 22221111

References References 22221111

Background Ku-ring-gai Council’s Open Space system comprises some 300 hectares of developed open space containing a wide spectrum of sport, recreation and leisure facilities including sports fields at 46 locations, 94 playgrounds, 2 public golf courses, 29 sealed netball courts and 27kms of designated bushland walking tracks. This Plan of Management covers the Gordon Golf Course and associated club house as shown in figure 2, one of two publicly owned courses within Ku-ring-gai. The Par 65 public course is zoned Open Space 6(a) Recreation Existing under Ku-ring-gai’s Planning Scheme Ordinance and is located in Lynn Ridge

Avenue, Gordon. Professional golf services are provided by a subcontractor and the greens, fairways and play areas are maintained by Council staff. This Plan of Management has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993 (as amended). The Plan has been developed to provide a strategic framework for future management of the facility which states Council’s management intentions as well as authorised development and use of the land as required under Chapter 6 of the Local Government Act 1993.

Objectives This Plan has been developed to fulfil the following objectives:

- To meet Council’s obligations under Chapter 6 of the Local Government Act 1993 in respect to public land management.

- To enable Council to renegotiate or enter into contracts, leases, licences and hire agreements for the Gordon Golf Course and other facilities in relation to the provision of services and utilities.

- To provide a public golf course which manages the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the site.

Vision The vision of the Gordon Golf Course has been developed through past consultation in the development of the generic Plan of Management for Golf Courses and through further consultation as part of the development of this Plan. The vision for the Gordon Golf Course is:

A quality public golf course which balances recreation, landscape and conservation values within a business framework.

Introduction

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Document structure This Plan of Management comprises five major sections including:

- Introduction

- Basis for management

- Management objectives

- Strategy plan

- Monitoring program

The basis for management is the driving force of the plan that will guide management of the Gordon Golf Course over the next 15 years. The basis for management incorporates the core values of the community and regular users which are reflected in the vision and role for the land.

The management objectives have been developed in response to key issues identified within the consultation process that affect management of the Gordon Golf Course.

The strategy plan and monitoring program define the strategies that will be implemented to achieve the management objectives of the plan. Performance indicators are also included to provide a basis for measurement upon which to evaluate the implementation strategies.

Community land The introduction of the Local Government Act 1993 represented a significant policy reform in respect to public land management.

On the commencement of the Act on 1 July 1993, all land set aside as parkland (sports fields, playgrounds, bushland etc) was automatically classified as community land with specific requirements governing its management.

One of the requirements is the preparation of plans of management for all community land. Community land must be managed in accordance with an adopted plan of management and until such plan is prepared and adopted, the nature of the land and use cannot be altered.

Leasing and licensing of community land must be authorised by a plan of management.

Categorisation Under Division 2, Section 36, Clause 4 of the Local Government Act 1993, Plans of Management must categorise the land covered by the Plan. The Act provides the following choices for categorisation:

- Natural area

- Sports ground

- Park

- General community use

For the purposes of Section 36 Clause 4 the Plan of Management categorises the Gordon Golf Course as sports ground and the area of the clubhouse and other facilities at the northern end of the site as general community use as indicated in Figure 3.

A brief history Up until 1932 the bulk of St Johns Avenue and flat land areas were dairy. In 1932 due to the slowing up in residential development caused by the depression, the trustees of the land (William Moore Trust) decided to use the area as a golf course as a means of profitable revenue. This was only a temporary measure pending development of the southern section, when the course would be subdivided for residential lots.

Construction started in April 1933 and opened to the public as a golf course in August 1933. Council took over the then called Lynn Ridge Golf Links a municipal golf course in 1946 and gave notice of resumption of 48.5 acres (14 holes) for ‘park’ purposes. Four holes on the western side of St Johns Avenue were not resumed. As part of the purchase of the land from the William Moore Trust, Council has certain obligations in regard to public access to the land.

On 20 November 2001, Council adopted a generic Plan of Management for Golf Courses which covered both Gordon and North Turramurra Golf Courses. In addition to this, the Plan of Management for the Gordon Golf Clubhouse was also adopted on the same date which is now incorporated into this plan. As part of the development of these plans, extensive consultation was undertaken with the managers, users and adjoining land users of the course.

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Local and regional context In 2005, Golf Australia estimated that there were over 1500 golf courses within Australia with a membership of over 1.14 million players. Over 25 per cent of these players visited a course more than once a week. However, according to the Australian Sports Commission, participation rates have declined Australia-wide from 8.2% to 5.6% since 2001. There are 16 courses within the surrounding region of Ku-ring-gai of which the majority are privately owned.

Within the Ku-ring-gai local government area, there are four private courses (Avondale, Killara, Pymble and Roseville) and two public golf courses at North Turramurra and Gordon.

Site description The Gordon Golf Course is located on Lynn Ridge Avenue at Gordon (Figure 1) and covers the following land:

- Lot 68 DP 241717

- Lot 12 DP 825411

- Lot 11 DP 825411

- Lot 1 DP 1328533

- Lot 1 DP 120933

- Part Lot 1 DP 1115862

The golf course layout is divided into two balanced sets of nine holes each. The course is on a relatively small parcel of land. On such a course, safety issues can be a problem. However, the scale and density of the existing vegetation lining most fairways helps to reduce many of these safety issues. Where vegetation can’t eliminate danger, the course has a number of essential safety fences installed. Many of these fences are in poor condition.

The course starts at the pro-shop from hole 1 and returns to the pro-shop on completion of the 18th hole providing a continuous layout

The existing greens are old and require a high level of maintenance.

The Clubhouse precinct contains the following facilities:

- amenities and storage building

- Community building (former Meals on Wheels site)

- golf pro-shop

- clubhouse

- formal car park (51 spaces)

- informal parking area

The Gordon town centre and railway station lie within one kilometre east with the site backing onto Council bushland forming the western boundary.

Leases and Licences There are two separate existing leases at this site for the Pro shop and the clubhouse.

This Plan of Management expressly authorises Council, by resolution, to enter into lease or licence agreements with relevant authorities, organisations or individuals in relation to the provision of services or utilities for a public purpose.

In accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993, this plan also expressly authorises Council to grant easements for authorities, organisations or individuals in favour of private lands over lands identified in the plan, providing Council is satisfied there is no reasonable alternative and appropriate benefits are obtained for the community land and any adverse impacts on playing surface or drainage is remediated at the cost of the holder of the easement.

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Current and permitted uses The land covered by this Plan is currently used for recreational and other community purposes including:

- golf - garden area - car parking - natural areas - clubhouse and amenities - maintenance buildings - access roads - pathways

- licensed bar and bistro - gaming (poker machines) - commercial activities - pro shop - conference activities - water reuse and recycling - community uses

Scale and Intensity of Permitted Uses

Use Scale Intensity

Golf course play Limited to physical constraints of the course

During daylight hours in accordance with relevant development consents.

Golf course maintenance Limited to physical constraints of the course

During daylight hours in accordance with relevant development consents.

Clubhouse Limited to physical constraints of building and facilities

0800 to 2400 Monday to Sunday (inclusive) in accordance with relevant development consents.

Licensed bar and bistro Limited to physical constraints of building and facilities

0800 to 2400 Monday to Sunday (inclusive) in accordance with relevant development consents.

Recreation areas Limited to physical constraints of building and facilities

0800 to 2400 Monday to Sunday (inclusive) in accordance with relevant development consents.

Gaming In accordance with relevant consents or approvals as required by appropriate authorities

0800 to 2400 Monday to Sunday (inclusive) in accordance with relevant development consents.

Car parking Limited number of car parking spaces able to be provided on site

In accordance with sign posting, Monday to Sunday (inclusive).

Commercial activities, pro shop and conference activities

Limited to existing activities at the time of adoption of the plan, physical constraints of the site and buildings and must be in accordance with objectives of the Plan

0800 to 2400 Monday to Sunday (inclusive) in accordance with relevant development consents.

Future development of the land This Plan of Management authorises within the requirements of relevant legislation and Council policy, the future development of the Gordon Golf Course for the following purposes and uses:

- golf - amenities buildings - club house - function and meeting rooms - refreshment rooms (eg café, restaurant) - community facilities - car parking and access roads - natural areas - landscaping - picnic and BBQ facilities - play grounds - drainage and water retention - maintenance buildings - practice nets and putting greens - community facilities - commercial facilities - sewer mining - stormwater harvesting

Values and issues Identification of values of the Gordon Golf Course together with issues affecting its management was compiled from consultation undertaken for the existing Plans of Management for Golf Courses and for the Gordon Golf Clubhouse Precinct and further consultation with relevant staff. The following values were identified for the Gordon Golf Course:

- sport - recreational opportunities - multiple use/multi-purpose - community benefit - visual amenity - quality of life - health - economic sustainability - property value - social benefits - habitat - environmental - public spaces - car parking - commercial opportunities - function and conference venue

The following issues were identified for the Gordon Golf Course:

- development of the land - safety and risk management - maintenance - course amenities - access - traffic and parking - dogs on course - waste management - catchment management - water management - hours of operation - course quality - financial viability - noise - tourism - stray golf balls - public art - climate change - landscape character - fauna and flora

Figure 1: Location of Gordon Golf Course within the Local Government Area

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Figure 2: Area covered by this Plan

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Figure 3: Areas of categorisation