The New South Wales Government has unveiled its draft plans for a reduced Moore Park Golf Course, although public feedback during the next four weeks will help determine the next steps in the ongoing saga of the embattled inner-Sydney golf venue.
The controversial reduction of the popular 18-hole layout to nine holes remains the centrepiece of the proposal, the plans for which are open for public consultation as of today.
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The Sydney Morning Herald today reports that the NSW Government’s $50 million plan proposes to convert the western half of the existing 18-hole course into a new civic green space. The draft design includes a community sports field, walking and cycling paths, exercise stations, picnic areas and even a mini-golf course, while retaining a reconfigured nine-hole golf layout and expanding the driving range from 60 to 90 bays.
NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully described the project as an investment in “a backyard for the thousands of current and future residents” in Sydney’s rapidly densifying inner suburbs, including Green Square, Redfern, Zetland and Waterloo. The population within five kilometres of Moore Park South is forecast to reach nearly 790,000 by 2041.
“Moore Park will continue to offer golf while also providing new amenities for the community,” Scully said, highlighting the balance between preserving sporting heritage and meeting demand for open space.
Premier Chris Minns first announced his intention to cut the course in half last year, arguing that the transformation would create much-needed recreational space for local residents. The redevelopment would begin once the golf course’s current lease expires in June, with staged openings from late 2026 and full completion expected by the end of 2028.
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The NSW state budget has allocated $50 million for the project, following an earlier $2.6 million for preliminary design work. The government says the new parkland will include lighting for evening safety, landscaped gardens, playgrounds, public toilets, tree planting and parking facilities. Community feedback will guide additional features, potentially including an off-leash dog area, outdoor fitness zones, a pump track for cyclists and a perimeter walking loop.
While the government frames the plan as an investment in community wellbeing, the proposal has met strong resistance from the golf community. The Moore Park Golf Collective – representing Moore Park Golf Club, Golf NSW, Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia – has campaigned to preserve the 18-hole layout, instead advocating for a “world-class sport and recreation precinct” that retains full golf facilities.
Moore Park Golf Club president John Janik criticised the move as misguided, saying it undervalues the course’s social and sporting significance. “The ill-informed continually believe the land could be better used,” Janik said.
The debate even attracted celebrity attention when Hollywood actor and keen golfer Mark Wahlberg voiced his support to “save Moore Park Golf Club” during a visit to Sydney.
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Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has long supported reducing the course to free up public parkland, a position that dates back to 2020 when former planning minister Rob Stokes briefly considered a similar downsizing.
As the draft plans remain on exhibition until November 24, the future of Moore Park Golf Course – and its role in balancing Sydney’s urban growth with its sporting traditions – remains firmly in the public’s hands.
Jared Kendler, a long-time advocate for preserving Moore Park Golf Course as it stands – was on-site the afternoon the plans were released:
FULL AUSTRALIAN GOLF DIGEST COVERAGE OF THE MOORE PARK SAGA HERE
