BOWRAL Country Club owner John Uliana will be offered the lease of the Bowral Country Golf Course on the condition that on the council-owned property continues to be run as a public golf course.

Wingecarribee Shire Council this week voted to offer a 21-year lease of the course to Bowral Country Living for a net rental of $16,500 a year, with Bowral Country Living to pay all rates.

The first three years of the lease will be rent-free, but Bowral Country Living will be required to undertake course improvements expected to cost up to $600,000 within three years.

The lease also requires unrestricted public access to the golf course, except during golf club competitions and fixtures.

Wingecarribee Shire Council will place the draft lease on public exhibition and submissions will be reported back to council.

Council discussed the lease in open council at Wednesday’s extraordinary meeting after Southern Highland News columnist Mac Cott objected to a move to deal with the issue in closed session.

Cr Malcolm Murray said the lease would allow the continued use of the property as a golf course and in conjunction with Bowral Country Living’s planned hotel development benefit tourism and the community.

“Council cannot afford to run it as a golf course,” he said.

“The only way it will continue to run is in conjunction with a tourism focus.”

“Members of the golf club and community want it continue as a golf course and that is what is happening here.”

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Friday, July 18

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