Proposed Robe golf course to deliver up to 150 jobs, developer says

Developers of an international standard golf course near Robe in south-east South Australia say it could generate up to 150 full-time jobs and add $17.5 million to the state’s economy.

The State Government granted the proposal major project status in March 2014.

Plans for the 425-hectare site at Nora Creina, 15 kilometres south of Robe, have been released for public comment.

The project is estimated to cost between $20 million and $30 million and its proposal includes two 18-hole international standard links-style golf courses, a club house, accommodation, cellar door, wellness centre, wagyu beef farm and an Aboriginal Heritage education centre.

Developer Justin Scanlon said 25 full-time jobs would be created during construction and up to 150 jobs once complete.

“And that can be greenkeepers, maintenance, retail, chefs, cooks, cleaners, security,” he said.

Initial plans included an abalone farm but this was scrapped despite years of planning.

“We spent many years doing that, but when that was finally approved we had the GFC in 2008 and people just didn’t have the appetite to invest in that,” Mr Scanlon said.

The Kungari Aboriginal Heritage Association wrote to the State Government in 2014 expressing concerns that significant cultural and historical sites could be lost if the development went ahead.

But Mr Scanlon said a cultural heritage survey had been carried out and Aboriginal midden sites located.

“We’ve been asked to manage those and make sure that we keep clear of those, which we have,” he said.

Mr Scanlon said while the links golf courses would be the major drawcard, he wanted to showcase more of what the region had to offer.

“We’re doing an Aboriginal Heritage education centre, we’re doing walking trails, we’re doing bird watching,” Mr Scanlon said.

“We’ve got four kilometres of coastline.

“It will drive a lot of guests to come up and see the golf course. But then they will go to the Coonawarra, they’ll go to all those other places around there.”

People have also raised concerns about native vegetation that would be cleared for the site.

“What a lot of people don’t realise is that land was grazing land right down to the beach in the 50s, 60 and 70s,” Mr Scanlon said.

“It has recovered to a certain extent but that land is not pristine land. What we want to do is obviously improve the land. There’s a lot of exotics and weeds.”

A public meeting with developers and representatives from the SA Department of Planning and the District Council of Robe will be held in Robe on February 17. Public consultation closes on March 11.