Teeing off on the 13th hole at Noosa Springs.
By Peter Owen
THE most difficult thing about visiting Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort is deciding just what to do, and in which order to do it. Of course, if you’re a golfer it’s easy.
Just head to the first tee of the magnificent 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course and prepare yourself for a golfing treat. The 6180m gem, rated one of Australia’s finest courses, winds its way through lush bushland, where kangaroos and other native birds make their home.
But that’s only one of the options at a resort that offers superb dining, one of the best day spas in Queensland, tennis, swimming and a fully equipped fitness centre.
Noosa Springs, situated in the hinterland of one of Australia’s best known tourist destinations, is largely the creation of developer Alan Starkey – a Noosa architect who, more than 30 years ago, dreamed of building a golf course complex equal to any in the country.
The par four 17th hole at Noosa Springs.
Starkey paid $3.7 million in 1992 for a rundown, bankrupt quarter-horse stud on the banks of Lake Weyba and became the owner of 103ha of overgrown trees and swampland, plus some cleared land where, in years past, Weyba Ranch had hosted the annual picnic races.
Starkey’s vision was to create a residential golf course development comprising beautiful homes, designed to meld with the environment, a first class golf course carved out of the bush, and a resort offering the sort of facilities that would make living at Noosa Springs a joy.
It didn’t come without it challenges, but this month Noosa Springs celebrates its 25th anniversary – a quarter century of growth that has seen the property become a key part of the Noosa fabric, and an integrated golf resort of national significance.
Noosa Springs’ manager Daniel Chandler.
It’s come a long way from 1999, when the course opened on a rainy Saturday afternoon to 200 invited guests, who later enjoyed a cool drink in a simple donga situated on the spot where a Tuscan-style clubhouse would later be built.
Mark Holland, the first general manager of Noosa Springs, remembers the spirit of excitement, the thrill of starting something from scratch, and the realisation that Noosa Springs was destined to be something special.
“I remember the smell,” he said. “It was like a new toy – the smell of something brand new.
“It was a fun time – starting from nothing, building relationships with tourism people, working to attract members and guests, and putting new systems into practice.
“Now, when I look back I get the sense that Noosa Springs is bigger and better than even I imagined,” he said. “It’s become a jewel.”
Noosa Springs is situated only about 3km from bustling Hastings Street, and the magnificent surf beach for which the region is famous. Yet, as you savour the tranquillity of its bushland surrounds and listen to the birdlife, you might as well be in another world.
“It’s a special place to work,” said manager Daniel Chandler. “Sometimes when I drive in I just pull over, look around and appreciate the beauty of Noosa Springs.”
Chandler, who had worked in a variety of roles at the resort for 14 years before being promoted to the top job in 2022, said Noosa Springs was committed to providing the best possible experience for members, guests and visitors.
The Noosa Springs clubhouse, shining like a jewel.
“I sometimes speak to members who have been here since the beginning – there about 35 of them – and it’s wonderful to see their pride in what has been achieved.”
The course weaves its way through tropical bushland and around 10 lakes, and was designed by Graham Papworth, a former civil engineer who honed his course design skills with international golf course architects like Marsh Watson.
Each hole has its own personality and style, and is maintained in immaculate condition. Because of southeast Queensland’s (usual) sunny climate, and a network of concrete paths, the course is playable all year round.
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 can play competitive golf seven days a week, and share the course with a constant stream of visitors, attracted not just by the quality of the course, but by the attractions of Noosa as a premier tourism destination.
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 can be hired.
Visitors playing 18 holes, in an electric cart, pay $145. But groups may be eligible for discounts, there is always a range of stay-and-play specials, you can save $10 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.
Many visitors are attracted by the resort itself – the opportunity to relax in the day spa, work out in the fitness centre, swim in the 25m pool, or take in the view from the restaurant terrace while enjoying a meal from the locally inspired menu.
Then and now. Works begins more than 25 years ago on the fifth and seventh holes at Noosa Springs – and how the two holes look now.
Noosa Springs’ Spa, inspired by ancient Roman and Greek traditions and based on European aqua therapy experiences, is one of the region’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.
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.
If they wish, guests can explore the Hastings Street shops, laze on Noosa beach or hike through Noosa National Park – all only a few minutes’ drive away.
In 2014 the Starkey family sold Noosa Springs to an offshoot of Hong Kong-based real estate and resort developer Golden Horse Nine Dragon Lake Holdings, which purchased Links Hope Island about the same time.
The new owners share the vision that drove Alan Starkey to create Noosa Springs – to provide the best possible experience for members, guests and visitors.
Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort
Links Drive, Noosa Heads 4567
Phone: (07) 5440 3333
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Noosa Springs is running a competition where entrants could win an ‘Ultimate Noosa Springs Getaway’.
The prize, valued at more than $1900, is two nights’ accommodation in a two-bedroom deluxe apartment with breakfast for four people each day, four rounds of golf with a motorised cart and four Thermal Suite Experiences in The Spa.
Enter by scanning the QR code in the Noosa Springs ad or visit noosasprings.com.au/25th-anniversary-competition-entry/.
The post RESORT OF THE MONTH: Golf not the only choice at beautiful Noosa Springs first appeared on Inside Golf. Australia's Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers - FREE.
Article Link: https://www.insidegolf.com.au/course-reviews/resort-of-the-month-golf-not-the-only-choice-at-beautiful-noosa-springs/