(20/12/2019) Preferred concept for Freo golf course revealed

The City of Fremantle has revealed the preferred concept for the reconfiguration of the Fremantle Public Golf Course.

The proposed new nine hole, par 34 layout includes a new opening hole running parallel to Montreal Street from the existing chipping green to existing club house, plus a challenging new par 5 hole, while also retaining the course’s signature finishing hole.

The design utilises most of the existing fairways, although some of the holes have been reversed.

The exact location of tees and greens and the final course length will be determined as part of the detailed design.

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said new course would provide a fun and challenging experience for golfers.

“The design team has done a terrific job to come up with a layout that meets all of the council’s criteria on a reduced footprint while minimising the impact on trees,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“Obviously there will be some disruption to the golf course while the reconfiguration works are carried out, but we will continue to work with the operator of the course to make sure this is managed and minimised wherever we can.

“But at the end of the day what we’ll have is a fantastic new golf course with a beautiful new club house, so I’m confident everyone will agree the disruption was worth it.” 

The redesign of the golf course is required to make way for the Main Roads WA upgrade of High Street, which will result in the loss of the existing third and sixth holes.

As part of the High Street project Main Roads will fund a program of accommodation works including the reconfiguration of the golf course and the construction of a replacement club house.

In August 2018 Fremantle Council endorsed the High Street project on the basis that the impact on golfers would minimised and the redesigned course would continue to be a nine hole, par 34 course with equivalent driving range and practice facilities.

The City of Fremantle engaged Perth-based landscape architects Aspect Studios to undertake the project, including specialist golf course designer Richard Chamberlain, landscape architect Stuart Pullyblank and project manager Mal Birch.

Mr Chamberlain has more than 30 years of international experience in golf course design including at Royal Hobart and Royal Fremantle golf clubs. He is also responsible for the extremely successful mini-golf course at the Wembley Golf Course.

Mr Pullyblank and Mr Birch recently completed the redevelopment of the Lake 9 at Collier Park in the City of South Perth.

Over the past five months the design team has worked with the operator of the golf course to assess a number of design options to refine and agree the preferred concept.

Two public workshops were also held with golf club members to present the various options for input and feedback.

Works have now taken place to provide an interim golf course arrangement utilising the existing club house, with construction of the new course estimated to take place between May and November 2020.

It’s anticipated that from approximately September 2020 until November 2021 the golf course will be open with temporary club house facilities, while the new club house is expected to be completed by December 2021.

The driving range is expected to remain open through the majority of the works.

For more information visit the Fremantle Public Golf Course project page on the City of Fremantle website.