The North Adelaide Golf Course is set for a $45 million redesign that will see the removal of 585 trees from the Adelaide park lands. However, the project will carefully avoid “sacred” Aboriginal land, as announced by Premier Peter Malinauskas today.
Premier Malinauskas, alongside Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland and North Adelaide Golf Course President Kevin Naughton, revealed the plans at the Adelaide Oval. The designs are available for public viewing, with a golf simulator set up for enthusiasts during the Ashes Test.
Preserving Aboriginal Heritage
The redesign focuses on the Par 3 section of the North Adelaide Golf Course at Possum Park / Pirltawardli (Park 1), which is protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act. Premier Malinauskas emphasized the importance of safeguarding this area, acknowledging the “big risk for disturbance” of Aboriginal remains.
“There is a very strict legislative process that dictates the way those [Aboriginal Heritage] applications operate and that was done quite independently of me, as it should be,” Malinauskas stated. “This project is an active engagement with organisations like KYAC [Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation] to make sure this is done as sensibly as possible.”
This announcement follows concerns raised by Kaurna elder Tim Agius, who previously expressed that while a world-class golf course is welcome, it should not come at the expense of Aboriginal heritage.
Course Design and Features
The new 18-hole course, designed by former LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, will meet Professional Golfers’ Association standards. It will feature a driving range on the adjacent Park 27A and a short course. A putt-putt course for children is also planned, though it is not the project’s primary focus.
The course will remain public, with a pricing structure that charges tourists more than locals, a measure passed in special legislation earlier this year. James Sutherland highlighted the economic impact of golf, noting that
“about $10.3 billion of household expenditure was spent on golf in Australia over the last 12 months.”
Environmental and Community Concerns
The plans have drawn criticism from groups like the Adelaide Park Lands Association, which has expressed concerns over tree loss and potential disruptions to War Memorial Drive. The redesign comes after the state government assumed control of the park lands from the Adelaide City Council, a move that has seen the Malinauskas government oversee 96.04 hectares of park lands — the largest transfer of its kind since 1837.
Independent Adelaide candidate and Deputy Lord Mayor Keiran Snape voiced his disapproval of the tree removal, calling it “reckless” in the context of climate change.
“Any loss of trees in this era of climate change is not only morally reprehensible but downright reckless,” Snape argued.
The government has pledged to plant three trees for every one removed.
Looking Ahead
Construction on the golf course is slated to begin in mid-2026, with completion aimed for 2028 to host LIV Golf. North Adelaide Golf Course President Kevin Naughton noted that some of the trees slated for removal have been problematic for years, having been poorly chosen for a golf course environment decades ago.
As the project progresses, the balance between development and environmental preservation remains a critical focus for stakeholders and the community alike.
