ABOUT US

Our History

Golf has been part of the HMAS Cerberus Naval Base, originally Flinders Naval Depot, for over a century when officers first played at the base in 1921.  Back then, it was a course constructed near the West Gate, west of the current Warrant Officers’ and Senior Sailors’ Mess.  The land was reclaimed during the Second World War and used as a training area for close-range AA Gunnery firing.

The next course constructed on the grounds, comprised of just a few holes and was constructed not far from the Wardroom (Officers’ Mess).  However, this land was later taken over as a sewage treatment plant.

A replacement golf course was then constructed behind where the base gymnasium now stands.

In a fourth attempt to build and replace the golf course, the Commanding Officer at the time applied for funding but was denied.

Later, an imperative to clear and construct firebreaks around the married men’s quarters earned funding approval.  Once established, the firebreaks incredibly took on the appearance of nine fairways.  Developmental work on a golf course on these firebreaks were then carried out by volunteers and personnel under disciplinary action.

Development of the course in its current location began at the end of the Second World War, with the nine holes completed in 1946.  The original greens were simply flat, circular sections at the end of the fairways until 1974 when the golf club members, exclusively Defence Force Personnel, under supervision of a firm named Green Masters constructed the current greens.

In later years, the club members built nine extra tees.  The additional tees have created eighteen marginally different holes. 

In total, there had been four golf courses constructed on the grounds of HMAS Cerberus Naval Base.

The present clubhouse was built and funded by the members in 1988.   It seats around 100 people and has a bar and kitchen area as well as an outside covered patio and barbeque area.  Facilities that rare are well utilised by not only club members but also social groups.

Commonwealth funding for the majority of course maintenance was withdrawn from 1999.

In order to maintain the golf course, the club was forced to purchase its own equipment, employ a course superintendent and manager, as well as fund all other maintenance work on the greens, tees, fairways and the rest of the course.  To support these necessary maintenance works, the golf club had to increase its revenue, therefore permitting use of the course by green-fee players, following the base Command approval.

Today, the course still relies heavily on volunteers to supplement the efforts of paid staff.