RESORT OF THE MONTH: Noosa Springs – championship golf in the heart of Noosa

By Peter Owen

BEFORE it became Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort, it was just thick bush – 103ha of overgrown trees and swamps on the banks of shallow Lake Weyba, with some cleared land that was used as a place to breed speedy quarter horses.

Today – just 25 short years later – it’s one of the best golf-based residential communities in the country, its golf course one of Australia’s finest, and Noosa Springs is an integrated resort of national significance.

The transformation owes much to the foresight of Noosa architect and developer Alan Starkey, who had a dream to create a residential golf course development like no other in Australia – made up of beautiful homes, designed to meld with the environment, a superb golf course carved out of the bush, and a splendid resort offering the sort of facilities that would make living at Noosa Springs a joy.

He travelled the world, inspecting the best examples of golf-based residential developments, then sat down and drew up a master plan. It specified and positioned the various stages of the residential development – even the number of homes in each precinct. 

As Noosa Springs took shape over the next two decades, it followed almost every line of that original master plan, testament to Starkey’s skill as an architect as much as to his vision.

That same vision is shared by the current owner – Noosa Springs Investment Pty Ltd, an offshoot of Hong Kong-based real estate and resort developer Golden Horse Nine Dragon Lake Holdings, which purchased Links Hope Island about the time it acquired Noosa Springs in 2014.

General manager Daniel Chandler, who had worked in a variety of roles at the resort for 14 years before being promoted to the top job last year, said Noosa Springs was committed to providing the best possible experience for members, guests and visitors.

“We understand we’re the stewards of a beautiful property,” he said. “I am looking forward to helping take the resort to a new level.” 

There’s something special about Noosa Springs – something you realise from the moment you arrive and make your way up the winding tree-lined avenue to the clubhouse. It radiates a presence – the beauty of the Tuscany-inspired buildings; the calm quiet of confident attendance; the stillness broken only by the crack of a club striking a ball.

The golf course is one of the country’s best – a par 72, 6180m championship layout that weaves its way through tropical bushland and waterways, and which regularly features in every list of Australia’s top 100 courses.

Chances are golfers will spot a few kangaroos lazing in the shade of the afternoon sun.

Designed by Graham Papworth, a former civil engineer who honed his course design skills with international golf course architects like Marsh Watson, it is the pride and joy of superintendent Peter Woods, who took over last year from Wayde Leech, who’d been in charge since the course opened. 

Indeed, he’d been there even longer than that – he was part of the crew who actually built the course and stayed on when he was offered the job as superintendent.

Until the Covid years, Noosa Springs hosted one of the Australian PGA’s Q-School qualifying tournaments that determine which aspiring stars get the chance to play on tour. 

But, as a course, it’s no monster. It’s tight, to be sure, with trees lining every fairway, and 10 lakes which come into play on 12 of the holes, placing a premium on accuracy. Each hole has its own personality and style, and is maintained in immaculate condition.

Beyond the 18th green, and in front of the terraced clubhouse, are the practice facilities – a huge green, bunkers and a driving range where, most times, you’ll find teaching pro Peter Heiniger, one of Australia’s most highly regarded coaches, conducting classes.

Noosa Springs’ members – men and women – are able to play competitive golf seven days a week, and share the course with a constant stream of visitors, attracted not just by the resort, but by the considerable attractions of Noosa as a premier tourism destination.

Membership includes access to the resort’s tennis courts, fitness centre and heated pool, and provides discounts at the day spa, Golf Shop, bar and restaurant.

Social golf is available every day, and visitors with a Golf Australia handicap are invited to take part in most competitions. There is a fleet of 70 electric cars, an oncourse refreshment cart and a driving range for pre-game practice. Golf clubs and shoes can be hired.

Visitors playing 18 holes, in an electric cart, pay $135. But groups may be eligible for discounts, there is always a range of stay-and-play specials, you can save $15 by booking a round online, and locals – those who live anywhere on the Sunshine Coast or Gympie – play on Tuesdays for a heavily discounted rate.

The resort hosts a number of special golf events, including the showcase Noosa Springs Open, an annual Ladies Day series and the Queensland A, B and C Grade Championships each summer. 

Golf operations at Noosa Springs is the responsibility of Peter Marchant who, before turning to golf, had forged a career as a sommelier, travelling the world judging, and critiquing, fine wines. He is supported by former professional golfer Tamara Johns and a strong golf shops and operations team.

“I love this job,” said Marchant. “I’m enjoying working with such an enthusiastic staff and for members who genuinely love their golf.”

But there’s more to Noosa Springs than just golf.

Noosa Springs’ Spa, inspired by ancient Roman and Greek traditions and based on European aqua therapy experiences, is one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular day spas. Its thermal suite includes a hydro-massage pool, flotation pool, infrared sauna, steam room and blitz shower.

While it stocks all the golf equipment you would expect to find in such a facility, Noosa Springs Golf Shop is a retail destination in its own right, offering designer bags, purses, belts, hats, shoes and sports and leisure apparel.

The resort’s Relish Restaurant is just as popular with Noosa residents as it is with members. Relish is the domain of Scottish-born chef Graham Waddell, who has found his niche at Noosa Springs.

Four times a year, to coincide with the change of season, Waddell produces a new menu. He spends hours creating, testing and refining each new dish, then ensures each member of his team is thoroughly trained in its presentation.

With its beautiful outlook over the golf course and Lake Weyba, Noosa Springs is a popular destination for weddings, and corporates often choose the resort to hold meetings and conferences.

Overnight visitors, or those planning a longer stay, are accommodated in Noosa Springs’ bank of self-contained apartments. The one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are roomy, comfortable and beautifully appointed, while the two-bedroom units are so large that two couples sharing an apartment can enjoy complete privacy. 

There is a strong demand for weekend accommodation, but the resort offers attractive incentives for those seeking midweek stays. For example, those who book at least three consecutive nights midweek until the end of June receive a free round of golf or a spa experience for two.

Plans are also in place for a five-star boutique hotel to be constructed within the resort grounds. A development application to build a 106-room, three-level hotel on a site presently occupied by the tennis courts, is currently being considered by Noosa Council.

Noosa Springs is situated only a short drive from Noosa Heads, where iconic Hastings St – lined with outstanding restaurants and world-class shops – runs parallel with one of the country’s finest surf beaches.

It is the gateway to Fraser Island, and is close to the unique Eumundi Markets, the Irwin family’s Australia Zoo, and the Sunshine Coast airport.

Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort
Links Drive, Noosa Heads 4567
Phone: (07) 5440 3333
www.noosasprings.com.au
info@noosasprings.com.au