The proposed golf course at Culburra Beach would take up 35 hectares at Long Bow Point, adjacent to Lake Wollumboola. 

The “championship style” course would have road access and 121 car spaces, as well as greens keepers shed, maintenance compound and turf nursery. 

Under the proposal 32.2 hectares of native vegetation would be cleared, including 10.16 hectares of endangered ecological communities. 

The proposed golf course, estimated at $9 million dollars, is adjacent to Jervis Bay National Park, a wetland of national importance, and Lake Wollumboola which has been identified through independent government enquiries as a lake of state significance, requiring protection from urban development.

Through its assessment, the Department of Planning and Office and Environment and Heritage considered there was potential for “serious and irreversible” impacts on the lake and its threatened species, which warranted refusal of the application. 

The Department’s assessment concluded that the golf course’s water quality impacts could present “an unacceptable risk to the lake’s unique ecosystems and threatened migratory species it supports”. 

The assessment also concluded that the applicant, Allen, Price and Associates, had been unable to demonstrate “with certainty” that the proposal would not have a significant impact on flora and fauna species, despite completing four separate flora and fauna assessments for the application. 

While the golf course would bring economic and tourism growth to the Culburra Beach area, the Department found these benefits would not outweigh the environmental impacts of the proposal. 

The assessment report, prepared by Deana Burn, said the proposal was “not consistent with the objectives of ecologically sustainable development, is not in the public interest and should be refused.” 

Lake Wollumboola Protection Association president Frances Bray said she was “over the moon” wit the decision. 

“This is what the Lake Wollumboola Protection Association and our bird watchers have been wanting and we are all very pleased with this result,” she said. 

“Long Bow Point is one of the most significant parts of Lake Wollumboola and we are overjoyed that refusal was recommended.” 

The Independent Planning Commission (IPC) will host a public meeting before making its final determination on Tuesday, July 24. 

If you would like to apply to speak at the meeting you must register before 5pm, July 20. 

The Registration Form must be completed and emailed to ipcn@ipcn.nsw.gov.au by this time. The IPC will notify you if your request to speak has been accepted.