Club
History
This chronology is dedicated to those who have worked tirelessly
over the years to provide us with the splendid golf course we now enjoy.
We salute you all, with our thanks.
1977
A public meeting in July 1977,attended by over 400 people held at Kambah
High School, moved to establish the Murrumbidgee Country Club.
A committee meeting on 2 August 1977, formally established the Murrumbidgee
Country Club. Attendees at this meeting were: Tony Hetherington (President/
Chairman) John Daley (Secretary) Fred Elliott (Club Captain) and a committee
of Ted Antoney, Ian Clark, Barron Clarke, Peter Costello, Les Edwards,
Barry Fisher, George Lyne, Russell Middleton, Des Peterson. Apologies
were received from David Buckingham, Ian Lowe, Albert Oberdorf, Phil Parker,
Dick Rowe, Laurie Virr.
First general meeting of first members held 29 November 1977.
1979
The Club's constitution was lodged with the Corporate Affairs Office,
19 February 1979.
A proposal, as put to the National Capital Development Authority on
1 June 1979 for building of a club house, a 27 hole international standard
golf course, and other major sports and recreational facilities including
tennis and squash courts, BBQ areas, swimming pool etc plus an allowance
for a convention centre to be built adjacent to the club as a separate
venture, gained strong support from members at a members meeting on 28
June 1979.
1980
General Meeting of first members on 12 June 1980, accepts the land use
plan (No 1202/80) as the basis for development of the Murrumbidgee Country
Club.
1981
To encourage membership 15,000 leaflets were produced for distribution
into the whole of the Tuggeranong Valley, Weston Creek and South Woden.
Distribution was complete by 10 February 1981. You can view the and the
contents (originals provided through the courtesy of Alwyn Carlson).
First members of the Club ceased to have any rights associated with the
operation of the Club and persons who had applied to join the club assumed
all rights as described in the Rules of Association according to their
category of membership. This was passed at the General meeting of members
and first members of the Club held at the Kambah High School on 19 May
1981.
1986
First social event held on golf course site, a BBQ on 19 October 1986.
First unofficial golf tournament held on a 'prepared' par three course
on 30 November 1986.
1988
Leases established over the land on which the club house will be built
is for a period of 99 years commencing 18 October 1988 and the lease of
the golf course is for a period of 50 years commencing on 18 October 1988,
with the option of an extension of a further 50 years at the expiration
of the first 50 years.
Mr Peter Kohlsdorf appointed Club's first golf professional 21 December
1988.
1989
Construction of the golf course commenced on 13 January 1989.
1990
Mr Garry Ashley appointed Club's first senior green keeper 28 February
1990.
Construction of club house commenced April 1990.
Murrumbidgee Country Club officially opened by Mr Trevor T Kaine, Chief
Minister of the ACT on 30 November 1990. In his opening address the Chief
Minister said, "This is a most welcome addition to recreation facilities
in southern Canberra, enhanced by the Gleneagles residential estate".
The hundreds of club members and special guests who packed the marquees
and the clubhouse heard Mr Kane praise the persistence and determination
of the community group which bought the ambitious project to fruition.
It has been a long hard road, with numerous hurdles to overcome before
planning approval was given to the integrated leisure and residential
development which is now the Murrumbidgee Country Club and the prestigious
Gleneagles estate.
The following persons constituted the first Board of Directors:
President: Colin Randall, Vice-President Noel Maxwell Nicholls, Honorary
Treasurer Brian Hayes, Honorary Secretary Edward Ronald Skipper, Director
(Golf) Irene Elizabeth Marchant, Director (Golf) Alwyn Rigby Carlson,
Director (Social and Clubhouse) Stanley Herbert Flack.
1991
First Hole in One recorded on the Murrumbidgee Country Club by Peter Mylrea
, 17th Hole, on 9 February 1991.
1993
Current men's amateur course record set by Steven Harrison on 1 May 1993.
Score 67 (3) 64.
1994
Excavation work commenced 17 January 1994 to enlarge the capacity of
the Club's major water storage dam adjacent to the club house. The excavation
work was completed on 28 February 1994. For months leading up to and during
the excavation work there had been no rain. On 8 March 1994 there was
a major downpour and the dam was refilled in one day.
Current men's amateur course record equaled by Chris Lynch, 12 November
1994. Score 67 (3) 64.
Current men's amateur course record equaled by Alex Franklin, 31 December
1994. Score 67 (0) 67.
Club wins its inaugural ACT District Golf Association pennant flag. The
Edwards Dunlop Pennant. The winning team comprised: Brenton Mikk, Paul
Mc Leish, Ross Lee, Ross Jones, Michael Lloyd, John Lewis, Barry Salmon,
Ray Mc Avoy and Rod Drayton.
1997
Club wins ACT District Junior Pennant. Team was comprised of: Adrian Telfer,
Justin Abrahams (captain),Damien Reardon, Matt Davis and Robin Heales
(manager).
1998
Club wins ACT District A Grade Pennant. Team was comprised of: Alex Franklin,
Matt Davis, Martin Batchelor, Brian Rees, Graeme Walker (captain), Gary
Cook, Steve Harrison, Chris Lynch, Adrian Telfer and David Childs (manager).
1999
Open Course record set by Paul Marantz scoring 65 in the Murrumbidgee
Country Club, Pro- Am, 11 April 1999.
The Club launches it's internet site in May.
Current women's amateur course record set by Nikki Campbell (Royal Canberra
Golf Club), 2 0ctober 1999. Score 73 (0) 73. Card. The previous record
of was set by Trish Lambert (Queanbeyan) on 30 May 1996 score 74 (3) 71
and later equaled on 11 February 1977 by M.Rawlings- Cook (Murumbidgee)
scoring 74 (3) 71.
2000
Club celebrated its 10th year of operation with semi formal dinner on
2 December it the Club House. 150 people attended and Trevor Kaine (who
officially opened the club in 1990) outlining in his speech how successful
the club has become in 10years and the development of the golf course
is a credit to all concerned.
Board of Directors at the end of the Club's 10th year were:President:
Robin Heales. Director Golf: Ross Jones.Women’s Captain: Helen Greenow.
Men’s Captain: Bob Pearce.Director Finance: Dave Read.Director House:
Kim Smith.Director Secretary: Ken Blair.General Manager: Stephen Fitzsimmons
The Club holds an open day on 29 April to attract potential new members
and to re open the pro shop trading as Valley Golf Centre. A special nomination
fee is offered and 79 new members accept the offer and join the club.
This is record number of new members in one day.
15 August, Development Application is lodged to consolidate the Golf
Club Leases.
2002
11 March A Public Meeting was held with residents to to discuss the consolidation
of the Clubs lease and to elect representatives from residents for the
development of a memorandum of understanding between residents and the
Golf Club.
10 June, Extra Ordinary Meeting of members held to discuss options for
future development of the Club. The meeting, called as a result of a petition
from members, seeking to establish a representative team 'directed to
enter negotiations with the Tuggeranong Valley Rugby Union and Amateur
Sports Club to develop a partnership between the two clubs which will
result in benefits to both organisations'. More than 280 members attended
the meeting and unanimously rejected the proposal.
August, Consolidated lease granted and memorandums of understanding in
place with residents.
18
January 2003
A fire storm hit Canberra.
Driven by scorching temperatures and fierce winds fires ripped
through the southern suburbs of Canberra. Thousands of residents
fled for their lives and entire streets of houses were reduced to
ashes. The worst hit areas were Chapman 88 houses lost and Duffy 236
houses lost. 35 houses were lost in Kambah. A total of 506 houses
were lost in the fires. Four persons lost their lives.
Fire swept on to the
golf course from the Kambah Pool Road and completely devastated the
surrounding areas and surrounding mountains. It encroached onto the
course burning right up to the fairways on holes 1 to 5. Players
were forced off the course by Police and such was the suddenness of
events many members did not realise the severity of the situation.
Resulting
course damage included over 250 trees lost, 3.7km of fencing burnt,
the car park lighting burnt out, as were the log edging in the car
park and spot burns to the parking area. The winds associated with
the fire lifted the bridge over the 5th from its moorings and dumped
it some metres away from the bridge supports.
The
Club lost electricity supply for a week and was unable to trade for
this time.
For
weeks after the fires struck wild life habituated the course in
great numbers as it was a safe haven offering water and food.
The
Canberra Times of 28 January 2003 published the following letter in
Letters to the Editor Section.
"A buffer of mown grass could be a lifesaver.
We residents of Gleneagles, Kambah have the Murrumbidgee Country
Club Golf Course to thank for our escape from conflagration on
January 18.The firestorm raced along the western and northern
edges of the course but did not cross the often narrow fairways to
Gleneagles.
This makes me wonder whether it would be too fanciful for Canberra
to invest in and maintain a buffer strip of rough but mown grass
around the City's western and northern perimeters equipped with
sprinklers to draw water from Lake, Tuggeranong, Burley Griffin,
and Ginninderra when a bushfire threatened.
We did know about the bush fires 13 days before they arrived but
based on the Gleneagles experience, it would probably have taken
only a few hours prior soaking of such a buffer to have stopped
them.
Stretched though they were, fire-fighters and residents would then
likely have coped with any spot fires arising - but the firestorm
itself was clearly beyond any human resources we could have hoped
to field now or in the future.
Julia Richards, Kambah"
Some idea of the voracity of the fires can be gauged from these
pictures taken on 18 January 2003, the day we almost lost our
golf course to fire.
Across from the 2nd |
Towards Kambah Pool |
Adjacent to 2nd fairway |
Around Kambah |
Approaching Sulwood Drive |
Kambah alight. |
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