Golf NSW mooted to take control of Cammeray Golf Club land
North Sydney Council was ‘blindsided’ by the NSW Government’s announcement of its intention to revoke council’s control of Cammeray Park, home to Cammeray Golf Club, and transfer the role to Golf NSW.
The current lease on the nine-hole par-three course expires in May. The Minister for Lands and Property Stephen Kamper announced the proposed takeover on 6 February, stating that the government had been in discussions with council, Golf NSW, Cammeray Golf Club and other stakeholders in relation to the future management of the golf course.
“Cammeray Golf Course has been part of Sydney’s sporting fabric for more than a century, and we want to secure its future for generations to come,” Minister Steve Kamper said.
Council said no discussions had taken place, and Mayor Zoë Baker had written to the minister at least eight times since late 2022 outlining council’s position on Cammeray Park and requesting a meeting, which never happened. Golf NSW has met with Minister Kamper five times since 2023, council said in a release.
Mayor Baker said that the correspondence received from Minister Kamper about the land transfer assumed that council would prevent golf from continuing at Cammeray Park, relying on council’s Open Space and Recreation Strategy to justify the claim. Mayor Baker said this was ‘simply not true.’
“Neither the Open Space and Recreation Strategy, nor the supporting Needs Study, proposes an end to golf at Cammeray Park,” Mayor Baker said. The mayor added the proposal to permanently quarantine Cammeray Golf Course for a single user group was ‘short-sighted’ and contrary to good public land management.
“Council is the most appropriate authority to care for, control and manage this land on behalf of the community,” she said. “It may be suitable for nine holes of par-three golf today, but that may not be the case forever – even golf is evolving.”`
In December 2025, council resolved to extend the existing lease of Cammeray Golf Course until 30 September 2029 to allow sufficient time for meaningful community and stakeholder engagement on the site’s future.Council said that handing the land over to Golf NSW would effectively privatise green space that should be accessible to the public. It is calling on the minister to reconsider his position and recognise the importance of publicly accessible open space in a rapidly growing urban area.
“I urge the minister to reconsider this proposal in the broader context of housing growth and liveability for North Sydney,” Mayor Baker said.
Willoughby MP Tim James is a patron of Cammeray Golf Club, and told NL: “I have always sought to secure the future of Cammeray Golf Club and welcome any certainty and continuity that protects this historic local club.”
North Sydney Council is writing a formal response to the government.
