By LIAM DURKIN

 

WRONG place, wrong time.

Traralgon Golf Club may be able to breathe a little easier, now that it appears it definitely won’t have to relocate.

The club became unwillingly tangled up in a development plan overlay as part of the Traralgon West Precinct that dragged on for the last 12 months.

Members feared the club’s course backing back from the Princes Highway would be swallowed up as part of the precinct, which takes in more than 300 hectares and 200 lots.

The plan identified those 200 lots as future residential spaces in the Morwell to Traralgon Structure Plan in the Latrobe Planning Scheme.

Significant parcels within the precinct include the Hollydale strategic development site and the golf club.

At Latrobe City Council’s last meeting for 2024 however (held December 16), an alternative motion was passed to abandon Amendment C144.

The C144 had left the golf club hamstrung to some extent, as their land could have been rezoned.

At its July meeting last year, the then Latrobe City Council (a new council has since been elected) resolved to request to the Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny to appoint a panel to consider submissions received for Amendment C144.

However, there are some who felt the golf club should never have been included as part of the C144 in the first place, and that proper consultation was never undertaken.

Such sentiments were voiced at the last Latrobe City Council meeting for 2024 including from the very top – Traralgon Golf Club Chairperson, Ross Chapman.

“The concerns for the golf club are predominately the current entries in the Traralgon West structural plan and the Latrobe LGA planning scheme which have indicated a desire and recommendation that the land on which the golf club operates will be rezoned to a higher density residential area,” he said.

“It worries the club that including the golf club land within the development plan overlay that this may be one of the objectives of the plan.

“Any such rezoning would have an impact on the club’s viability and there would be a possible significant uplift in rates and windfall gains tax which may burden the club.”

Mr Chapman’s stance was supported by Churchill resident Taylah Ling, who spoke in support of the golf club and who it should be noted has no direct connection to the club.

Latrobe City Mayor, Dale Harriman declared a conflict of interest while discussion was going on, and left the meeting.

His council colleague Darren Howe (of Tyers Ward) refuted suggestion council was out to rid the golf club of its current location.

In a passionate display, Cr Howe asked his fellow councillors bluntly: “put your hand up if you want the golf club to move?”

Seeing no show of hands, Cr Howe went on to say “There has been no talk of us wanting the golf club to move. No one wants the golf club to move.”

“I want to just reassure everybody, golf club members, the rest of Latrobe City, we do not oppose the golf club, we want them to be there, we want them to thrive, but there is no strategic justification that I can see for abandoning the current process (of keeping the golf club in the C144).”

According to Cr Howe, the alternative motion that was put forward to abandon C144 would be a waste of time.

“Under the alternate we are looking at, they are looking at rezoning it to a more appropriate, less rate intensive zone, the next step in this process we will be doing exactly the same as that, same councillors will be making the same decision in the next step,” he said.

The meeting became quite animated, with Cr Howe needing to be called out twice by deputy mayor Sharon Gibson, assuming the chair, firstly for addressing the gallery, and secondly for going over the three minute speaking limit.

Things only became more farcical when Cr Leanne Potter (Budgeree Ward) called a point of order against Cr Gibson (Newborough Ward) for prompting Boola Boola Ward Councillor, David Barnes during the voting process.

Cr Gibson (Latrobe’s most experienced councillor) stated she was simply asking Cr Barnes, who was attending virtually and spoke for the alternative motion, a question.

Yallourn Ward Councillor, Steph Morgan also called a point of order against Cr Barnes, who was experiencing connection troubles and arguably unable to fulfil his obligation at that point in time.

The meeting took a near 10-minute break before Cr Barnes joined Crs Adele Pugsley (Moe Ward), Joanne Campbell (Jeeralang Ward) and Cr Gibson in voting in favour of the alternative motion originally moved by Cr Pugsley.

Crs Howe, Tracie Lund (Morwell River), Morgan and Potter voted against.

With the decision split four-all, Cr Gibson used her casting vote to carry the alternative motion to abandon Amendment C144.

The following reasons were given to abandoning the C144:
It is not in the interest of the whole community;
Developing the golf course will make the Bank Street Railway crossing and intersection hazardous to all road users;
It will result in the loss of the Traralgon Golf Club, and;
The local area will experience the loss of the liveability of their neighbourhood.

Latrobe City Council officers advised the Minister for Planning of council’s decision on December 18, 2024.

The amendment is now concluded.

Traralgon Golf Club is steeped in history, with players the calibre of Greg Norman gracing its fairways, along with figures the likes of cricket immortal Lord Ian Botham.

The club’s annual pro-am is one of the biggest in Gippsland.