Barnbougle tops resort leaderboard

It will be a decade in December since Tasmania’s famed links golf course Barnbougle Dunes opened at Bridport – it is now the 11th best course in the world. COREY MARTIN takes a look at the platform Barnbougle has established, grown and the potential for a destination golf tourism boom.

BEFORE Barnbougle Dunes became Australia’s number one public golf course, it was the coastal strip to an established potato farm in Tasmania’s North- East.

Since it opened in December 2004, the Bridport course has been a massive hit and is now the big brother to 20-hole links course Lost Farm on the same 5300-hectare Barnbougle Downs property at Bridport – land owned by millionaire tourism developer Richard Sattler.

Barnbougle Dunes was designed by architect Tom Doak and former Australian professional golfer Mike Clayton after a vision from golf enthusiast Greg Ramsey, while the $10 million Lost Farm, was built by US company Coore and Crenshaw and is accompanied by luxury accommodation and restaurant.

Earlier this year, US sports journal Golf Digest named Barnbougle Dunes the 11th best course on the planet and ranked Lost Farm 23rd worldwide.

The two courses, Mr Sattler said, dragged in 80,000 visitors a year, numbers he never dreamt of when the development began 10 years ago.

“They both come as one now, our brand is Barnbougle and there is the Dunes course and Lost Farm – everything is run as one,” he said.

“Mostly [visitors come] from the eastern states and an equal amount of international as there are Tasmanians.

“I think they have worked really well together and they are both in the top 25 in the world.

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