Moore Park Golf Course Redevelopment Under Fire As Minns Admits Trees Have To Move

NSW Premier Chris Minns has acknowledged that the state’s plan to redevelop Moore Park Golf Course “may have to move trees.”

The comment came in response to a warning from Jarrod Bean, senior manager of sport and recreation at Greater Sydney Parklands (GSP).

According to the Daily Telegraph, Jarrod Bean said: “(The) government needs to be very careful what they are suggesting here.”

He also warned the sporting community not to be “fooled” by the plan to split Moore Park Golf Course in half.

Last year, Premier Minns pledged to reduce the 18-hole Moore Park Golf Course in Sydney’s southeast to 9-holes, freeing up 20 hectares of land for a new central park. The new facilities would serve the broader community, not just those who pay to play golf.

The idea of reducing the number of holes has been discussed for years, especially as housing density continues to rise in the surrounding areas.

The areas of Green Square, Zetland and Waterloo are densely populated, with most residents living in apartments, terraces or townhouses. Around 690,000 people currently live within five kilometres of Centennial Park— a number expected to grow to nearly 790,000 by 2041.

“We need to balance that with more open space,” Minns said, highlighting the importance of public green space.

The state government has allocated $2.6 million in the 2024–25 budget for the project’s planning phase, with construction expected to commence in 2026.

The current operating agreement for the golf course is set to expire in 2026, at which point the site will be reconfigured.

Minns’ move has drawn strong opposition from an industry alliance, which includes Moore Park Golf Club, Golf NSW, Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia.

Moore Park Golf Club president John Janik said a nine-hole course would not be able to host competitions and would likely struggle to survive.

Despite these concerns, Premier Chris Minns has stood by the original plan. He said the government is acting in the public interest and may reduce the impact by “planting more trees.”

He stressed: “We can have what we need on the site, which is open space, tree canopies as well as organised sport.”

Meanwhile, the Moore Park Golf Collective has put forward an alternative proposal. They advocate keeping the full 18-hole golf course while opening up around 15 hectares of underused land for public use.

The proposal aims to meet the community’s need for open space without sacrificing the existing golf facilities.