Townsville Golf Club Secures $2 Million for Flood Recovery and Resilience Upgrades

Townsville Golf Club has secured $2 million in recovery funding following two major weather events and compounding king tides in early 2025. The funding, provided through Australian and Queensland Government disaster recovery programs, will be used to restore the damaged course and install infrastructure designed to withstand future natural disasters.

In early 2025, the club endured 2.5 metres of rainfall over a two-week period, followed weeks later by an additional 1.5 metres of rain. In between these events, king tides pushed water back across the saturated grounds. The consecutive weather systems forced the course to close for 10 weeks.

“We got through the first event and started the clean-up, then another one came through, followed by a king tide,” said Townsville Golf Club Manager Mitch Bligh. “We ended up cleaning up three separate times. It was relentless.”

Extent of Course Damage

Saturated clay-based soils prevented heavy machinery from entering the course for more than two weeks after the floodwaters hit. Once access was gained, extensive damage to the course infrastructure was identified.

“Many of our bunkers were ruined, the drainage systems just didn’t work anymore,” Bligh said. “Water ripped the sand and faces out of them. Parts of the course had sunk, drainage lines were blocked with silt, and some areas were completely scoured away.”

In addition to structural damage, floodwaters washed wildlife, including crocodiles, fish, and snakes, into the affected areas.

During the 10-week closure, staff, members, and volunteers organized community days to assist with the manual clean-up.

“We had club community days where members came out to help. Volunteers were continually working to get the course back open. It really showed what the club means to people,” Bligh noted. “When the course was closed, members really felt it. They missed the golf, but they also missed catching up with mates and being part of the club. Until something like this happens, you don’t realise how important it is. People genuinely felt lost. When we reopened, everyone was so happy, it was a great moment.”

Breakdown of Disaster Recovery Funding

The recovery works are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), aimed at restoring community sport infrastructure impacted by the early 2025 North and Far North Tropical Low.

The funding allocation includes:

• $1.1 million from the Sport and Recreation Recovery Grant (SRRG) program for repairs and mitigation measures.
• $1.1 million from the Western Queensland Disaster Recovery Grant (Infrastructure), acknowledging the severe regional damage.

The combined funds will support bunker reconstruction, drainage improvements, soil remediation, and infrastructure upgrades. A primary focus will be expanding concrete pathways to ensure recovery equipment can safely access the course immediately after severe weather.

“Early in the recovery phase, we couldn’t get machinery around the course safely,” Bligh said. “It slowed everything down and created safety risks. By improving access and strengthening infrastructure, we estimate the works will probably halve the time we’re closed in the next flood event, which will make a significant difference to the club, our members and the community.”

Application Support and Industry Resilience

Townsville Golf Club’s successful applications were assisted by Golf Australia’s Grant Writing Assistance Program (GWAP), delivered in partnership with Red Tape Busters. Having previously experienced major flooding in 2019, the club utilized external expertise to manage the rigorous application requirements.

“Working with Golf Australia and Red Tape Busters took a lot of the stress out of it. They know what’s required — the images, the documentation, the mock-ups — and helped streamline everything,” Bligh said. “It meant we could focus on getting the club back up and running while they helped guide the process.”

Other regional venues, including Ingham Golf Club, also secured recovery funding through the same programs following the 2025 weather events.

In response to the increasing frequency of natural disasters impacting sports venues, Golf Australia, in partnership with the CPR Group and supported by the Queensland Government, has developed a suite of Club Resilience and Continuity resources. This toolkit provides clubs nationwide with planning frameworks, disaster response guides, recovery templates, and preparation checklists.

SOURCE: Courtesy of Golf Australia