Chris Minns’ NSW government has allocated $50m in the budget to halve Moore Park Golf Club to nine holes as part of its controversial plan offer a new public park.
Last year, Minns announced that half of the 45-hectare course would be converted into a 20-hectare park, citing a need for green space in high-density suburbs such as Green Square, Zetland and Waterloo. The plan, slated to be rolled out from mid-2026, faced backlash from local politicians, Golf Australia, Sydney golfers and even Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg.
The golf course welcomes more than 90,000 rounds annually and is beloved by inner city residents.
On Tuesday, Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey delivered the Labor government’s budget which included an update on the besieged Moore Park GC. It has been reported there are 690,000 people living within 5km of the Centennial Parklands and the budget indicates the project is expected to finish in 2028.
The government had already pledged more than $2.6 million in the 2024-25 budget for planning and design and now it has outlined, on page 43 of the budget overview, a $50 million intention to replace nine holes with a “new green open space and recreational use” at Moore Park.
The revised spending on the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust indicates an increase to $7.6 million for the 2024/25 budget and $14.2 million for the 2025/26 budget.
The NSW Government maintains that the scrapping of nine holes strikes a balance between recreation and urban growth.
“We make no apologies for opening up this publicly owned land to the public, delivering a brand-new park for Sydney,” Minns has said previously. “Our plan retains 90 golf courses across Sydney including a course at Moore Park while creating a new park for this growing community.”
In response, a coalition of golf organisations – Moore Park Golf Club, Golf NSW, Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia – formed the Moore Park Golf Collective.
Their counterproposal, backed by Wentworth Liberal candidate Ro Knox and Senator Anne Ruston, includes a redesigned 18-hole course, a youth recreation zone, and new amenities such as a BMX track, athletics hub and 500-space carpark.
“This is a creative and visionary plan that addresses the problems in the broader precinct,” said Moore Park Golf Collective spokesman Jared Kendler. “It should focus on how do we get the best recreational facilities for a growing Sydney, while also maintaining the best facilities for golf, which is absolutely booming right now.”