Let us hope it’s an asset

SOME would argue that councils should not own golf courses.

Cairns Regional Council has rebuffed calls for the local authority to buy Paradise Palms at Kewarra Beach to stop the property being redeveloped.

Golf courses are expensive to own and maintain. The irrigation and mowing costs alone are horrendous and then there is the clubhouse which opens for limited hours depending how many are playing golf.

The Douglas Community and Sports Club (The Tin Shed) at Port Douglas has been operating the Mossman Golf Club but has run into severe financial difficulties, mainly because of COVID-19 and the lack of tourist players. The committee has had to make the hard decision and relinquish the golf club so The Tin Shed can survive.

Now the Douglas Shire Council is coming to the rescue and intends buying the golf club and leasing it back to the Mossman Bowls Club to run. At this stage the price is under wraps. The council fortunately won’t be lumbered with the maintenance and operational costs.

It certainly is not a precedent. Brisbane City Council owns and operates two golf courses.

The bowls club is the only licensed club in Mossman and is a successful business. Its experienced committee and management team is well placed to run the golf venue.

“The bowls club feels it should be more than capable of making a success of the operations both for the bowls club and the local golfers,” bowls club general manager Kevin Rynne said.

The council regards the purchase as an asset not a liability. Let’s hope so.

Nick Dalton

Deputy editor