Monthly Update - May

Photo Rick Webb

From the President

It is getting cold and will get colder!! BRRRR. That’s what it’s all about, living in a coastal village and playing golf on your own private Island course!

The course is looking better than ever as the green grass and fairway shaping and styling looks brilliant.

The 3rd tee has received strong reviews and looks great from the back pegs. Lots of works underway on LHS of 13 as the endemic Italian Buxus is being removed. The growth of this weed is crushing the foliage, as it grows up through the Bearded Heath and Moonah branches and trees that are several hundred years old are being suffocated by this weed called Buxus.

The work is only touching the very edges of the prolific growth of the weed. The Buxus is also prolific at the back of the 13TH and LHS of 14 and that work will occur soon. We are looking at the volunteers keenly led by Peter McSween to get in and under the trees and remove the smaller sucker plants and clean up the treed areas which is evident as you wander down the LHS of the 13th fairway.

What looks scarred now will in a few months look normal and once cleaned up a dramatic improvement to the course. (Kelvin will expand further in the course update)

This removal program is driven by Kelvin Pettigrove who is tireless at the club, establishing and maintaining a great and nearly unmatched environmental works program to maintain the flora and fauna of the Island.

Great work and energy have been put in by Kel and Greg Monahan, who drives the bobcat and favours the club significantly with his contribution and machines.

“The Substitutes” play on the Island on Sunday 11th June, Kings Birthday weekend, and having seen them recently I am positive they will be a hit on that day.

Lots happening in the background as the Committee works as one, with the main aim to strengthen the club on all fronts of Security of tenure, staff machinery, water security, Environmental protection plus comfort in the clubhouse with reverse cycle air coming soon to be run off the new Solar Panel array on Work sheds and clubhouse roof.

Good golfing and see you at the Substitutes event on KB weekend!

Brad Teal OAM - President.

Julian T lining up…. And potting it!

2023 QGC Gala Evening

There was delicious food (those mini burgers and arancini balls….YUM! )

Julie and Arch sounded amazing (as always!), the drinks flowed, the room was filled with conversation and laughter!!

It was a great night to celebrate our event winners from 2021 & 2022, and to also recognise and thank past club President, Tony Graham (and his gorgeous wife Karen) for all he has done for the past 6 years.

Winners 2021

Club Champs

A Division

Michael Havelburg

T Fenell

B Division

Billy Clifton

Robert Gourley

C Division

Chris Humphrey

Rob Henschke

D Division

John Shinners

John Guiffrida

Women’s Division

Pam Treble

COW – Covid

Peter Hammerli

Peter McSween & Michael McSween

RT & TR Warren

Wally Tarticchio & David Watson

Syd McSween - Covid

Reg Pearce

Peter Hocking & Bernard Kelly

Fay Neville & Julie Welsh

Winners 2022

Club Champs

A Division

Darren Shapter

Murray Warren

B Division

Marty Christensen

Peter Mastin

C Division

Rod Kerger

Craig McKiernan

D Division

Mark Hill

John Guiffrida

Women’s Division

Kate Day

COW – David Ash

Peter Hammerli

Peter McSween & Stewart Drayton

Reg Pearce

John Bamborough & Julian Thompson

Aileen Rowe & Femie Kroes

Syd McSween

Robert Richardson

RT & TR Warren

Tom Warren & Murray Warren

Course Update. Environmental works taking place on the 13th.

These works form part of our Defence EMP requirements 2019-2024 QGC, and demonstrate compliance with our Licence Agreement. We are committed to conservation of the environmental values of Swan Island and QGC. Current works on the 13th are very important and also send a very strong message that we are good manages of Defence Property, possibly, we do it better than Defence with little resources.

We started working on LHS of the 13th Hole beside the Green, using Defence equipment last year ( bobcat mulching machine ) as part of Defences Friendly Neighbour Policy. These works proved to be quite aggressive and provided little gain in our endeavours against Italian Buckthorn which is slowly killing off very old and beautiful Breaded Heath and Moonah Trees.

ABOVE: An idea of the size and scale of the Buckthorn being removed.

It had been agreed with the Working Bee Group ( WBG ), that we would be focusing on weed removal in and around the 13th and 14th Holes over the next 2/3 years. By engaging a contractor, we are fast tracking the process for the WBG by doing the heavy lifting, leaving the finesse work to the Volunteers.

We are making a significant restoration contribution to our Island environment. The removal of Buckthorn, Bellarine Pea, Bridal Creeper, are all Weeds of National Significance ( WONS ) and the wellbeing of our indigenous trees, whilst meeting our EMP legislative and licence agreement requirements and our own Long-Term Strategy for Sustainable Landscape.

We hope that this update has helped your understanding of the importance and benefits of doing the environmental work on the 13th and 14th holes. There is never a good time for this type of work, many people don’t get it, perhaps until we have turned the situation around, and then they say isn’t it such a wonderful environment !!!

Cheers Kel

Left: Buckthorn strangling a native tree

Geoff Steer is a great friend of QGC and yesterday 24 May 2023 played his 1000th golf course all around the world Merion was 1001!!

Above:

No. 1000. - Somerset Hills. New Jersey.

Not quite Merion GC but pretty good!

Left: Merion GC is famous as they don’t have flags

They have a wicker basket on the flagstick

QGC Music Session with The Substitutes.

Sunday 11th June (Kings Birthday Long weekend)

Be sure to book HERE

Around the club….

• We are doing a minor facelift to the men’s toilets over the next month or so please bare with us while this work is done.

• Clubhouse reduced opening hours for June & July

Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 8am to 4pm

Wed, Sat & Sun 7am to 5pm

• King Island QGC Members trip – We have only 5 spaces left, if you’ve been thinking about going make sure you book to avoid missing out. Bookings are directly through Donna@thetravellinggolfer.com.au

$1200 per person - Package includes 1 night, 2 rounds

1 night’s accommodation at Cape Wickham

2 rounds of golf including Cape Wickham & Ocean Dunes Golf Courses

Return flights with Sharp Airlines from Essendon Airport

All land transfers on King Island

If you have any interesting course photos, you’d like to share please email them to Nicci (membership@queenscliffgolfclub.com.au)