Maroochy River members approve exciting expansion plans

12 Jan 2026

In mid 2025, members of Queensland’s Maroochy River Golf Club approved plans for a short-course expansion of the golf offerings at the popular Sunshine Coast club. Designed by Darius Oliver, the new plans include a 9-hole floodlit par three course and a 9-hole Executive length course, as well as a 19th hole for the existing championship layout.

Maroochy River was established in 2015, when the former Horton Park Golf Club was forced to relocate from its central Maroochydore home to a sugarcane site in Bli Bli. A full length 18-hole Graham Marsh designed golf course was built and paid for by the local council, with an additional 9 holes proposed on the southeastern portion of the property.

Given the success of the club’s driving range and mini golf facilities, an alternate proposal was suggested to instead use the land set aside for the third nine, to build a 9-hole par 3 and a 9-hole executive length course. When complete, Maroochy River would be the only club we can think of in Australia with a full suite of golf offerings – from mini golf to driving range, par 3 course, executive length course and a full championship test.

Stage 1 of the short course redevelopment project is the building of the par 3 course, which will be floodlit for evening play and feature an expansive central pond that houses an island green. Earthworks will be undertaken on the Executive length course at the same time, but final golf shaping and irrigation installation would take place down the track. The Executive course will feature a number of drivable par fours and a short par five, and be ideal for younger and older members.

The existing championship course at Maroochy River does an almost unsustainable number of rounds, currently in excess of 85,000 per year. The expectation is that the Executive Course will free up capacity on the main course, and help ease younger and older golfers transitions into and out of the game. The Par 3 course is intended to be open for social play and non-member golf events, as well as for members to enjoy.

Of the members who attended the meeting to vote on the short course expansion back in May, 82% were in favour.

You can read more on the Maroochy River Golf Club short course expansion project on the InsideGolf website – click here.

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