Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke visited Narrandera Golf Club today to see how work is progressing on the installation of a new irrigation system.
The project received $475,000 from the Stronger Country Communities Fund and $186,000 from the Infrastructure Grants program in February, and work is now well under way.
“We’ve got a new irrigation system going in at Narrandera Golf Club, which was hard fought for in terms of the grant applications,” Ms Cooke said.
“There’s $661,000 worth of work happening right here, and it’s on time and on schedule.
“The old irrigation system was well and truly past its best, so that has been pulled out and is being replaced by a modern system with new pumps, pipes and sprinklers.
“The new system will be able to better control how water is used, which means much greater efficiency in the maintenance of the grounds.
“The course will lift tourism numbers and give a great boost for this much-loved club – they’ve worked so hard for so long to keep watering the ground manually.
“I’m so proud to be a part of a NSW Government which is investing in our regions, bringing jobs, infrastructure and leisure facilities, enabling clubs like Narrandera Golf Club to keep their greens looking great and attracting players to have a round here and spend time – and tourist money – in Narrandera.”
Narrandera Golf Club President Jeffrey Osmond said the irrigation system would revitalise the club and expand what it can offer to club members and visitors.
“The last four or five years we couldn’t afford a green keeper so we have had volunteers helping, and it’s been getting tough getting water up to the fairways,” Mr Osmond said.
“This is an automatic system which is less work for all us old volunteers, and we can get the course back to being a good course, like it used to be.
“We have had to cancel two or three ladies’ tournaments and a couple for the men, because the course has not been presentable.
“Players have previously come here from as far away as Albury and Hay, all over the Riverina, which is great for Narrandera as a whole in terms of drawing in tourism.
“We’ve also got members who have stopped playing because of the state of the course, but I’m confident they’ll come back to play.”
