North Sydney Council ‘disappointed’ public land now private
Golf NSW is officially the new Crown land manager of Cammeray Golf Course, which will stop the public course from being used for any other purpose other than golf. The State Government made the announcement on 5 June, with Cammeray Golf Club saying it will be ‘business as usual’ on the fairways.
“Cammeray Golf is delighted to work alongside Golf NSW and NSW Crown Land to ensure long term access to golf in the heart of the North Shore, and continuing to support community recreation, wellbeing and local jobs,” the club’s general manager Daniel Strong said.
North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker told NL that the decision was ‘beyond disappointing.’
“It vests vital public land in a single narrow interest group and is contrary to the public interest,” Mayor Baker said.
“That this should occur in the context of the permanent loss of over three hectares of public land at Cammeray for the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway projects, and with significant population increases needing access to open space, is a blow to the North Sydney community.”
The lease with Cammeray Golf Club was due to expire in May, but council had agreed in December 2025 to extend it until September 2029 to allow sufficient time for community and stakeholder engagement on the site’s future.
Mayor Baker said council had written to the Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper no less than eight times since 2022 to ‘attempt engagement.’
“Yet not once have I or council representatives been afforded a meeting with the minister’s office to seek assurance from the minister about the long-term future of the Cammeray Parklands,” Mayor Baker said. “I note however that Golf NSW met with the Minister on five occasions since 2023.”
Mayor Baker said that North Sydney local government area (LGA) was one of three most densely populated LGAs in the state and it had the least public space per capita on the North Shore.
“North Sydney is already experiencing an undersupply of open space, the population is increasing, yet the announcement means another significant loss of open space that is so critical to the community’s wellbeing,” she said.
“Council’s position has always been clear: that extending and expanding lease arrangements over the golf course undermines the use of the wider reserve, effectively privatises public land, and limits future community access and flexibility.”
Willoughby MP Tim James is a patron of Cammeray Golf Club, and welcomed the news. “Cammeray Golf Club has been part of the fabric of the community for generations, and it is welcome that its future has now been secured,” Mr James told NL.
“North Sydney Council had placed real uncertainty over its future, and this transfer provides the certainty the club and community needed.”
Mr James said he had met with the Minister for Lands ‘seeking certainty over the golf course.’
“Following the State-led reconfiguration into a renewed nine-hole course, Cammeray Golf Club is now well placed to continue serving the wider community for years to come,” said Mr James. “For local residents and users, there should be no noticeable day-to-day change on the ground.”
CEO of Golf NSW Stuart Fraser said the organisation was ‘honoured to be appointed Crown Land Manager’ by the State Government. “The game of golf continues to enjoy unprecedented growth, and Golf NSW looks forward to working with the local community and the Club’s Board in welcoming players of all abilities to the greens and fairways of Cammeray Golf Course,” Mr Fraser said.
The broader Cammeray Park reserve will continue to be under the management of North Sydney Council.