About the Concept
Nullarbor Links - The World's Longest Golf Course
The Nullarbor Links concept is unique. The 18-hole par 72 golf course will span 1,365 kilometers with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway, from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. Each hole will include a green and tee and somewhat rugged outback-style natural terrain fairway. The course would provide a quintessential Australian experience and a much-needed activity/attraction for travelers along the renowned desolate highway.
- Download an overview of Nullarbor Links (zipped PowerPoint, 5.1 MB)
Project background
The Eyre Highway Operators Association (EHOA) is a retail-based community organization, established to raise the profile of the Nullarbor and to form a networking organization to support businesses along the Eyre Highway.
The Nullarbor Links concept was developed to complement and enhance the tourism industry along the Highway, by providing travelers with an additional attraction and hence a reason to spend more time and money in the region. The project marries tourism, the world's largest industry, with golf, one of the world's most popular sports. The course will provide a much needed attraction/activity along the Highway. It will slow traffic down and encourage visitors to stay longer, and hence spend more time and money in the region. The course has the potential to place the region in the travel spotlight, and attract increased traffic flow. Golfing tourists spend more money, and stay longer than an average tourist, making golf tourism a lucrative market.
The Nullarbor Links will have a "flow-on" effect to the communities of Dundas, Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, by providing employment to attract people and new businesses to the region.
The Eyre Highway Operators Association has identified the Nullarbor Links as an immediate opportunity for a cross-State tourism product. This project also possesses the potential for the following opportunities to enhance the tourism industry along the Eyre Highway:
- Co-ordination and enhancement of information provided by tourism information centers and businesses along the Eyre Highway through the development of websites attached to the "Nullarbor Link Concept".
- Development and linkage of major attractions/icons and tourist drives across State boundaries.
- Collaborative marketing and branding activities.
- Development of an outback Australian tourism product.
The project also has relevance as an alternative source of income for smaller communities along the highway.
How the project will be undertaken
The Nullarbor Links project is an ambitious undertaking, with its geographic spread and large number of participating organizations requiring a high degree of collaboration. It will need to be professionally managed with carefully developed operating procedures and corporate governance regimes. All stakeholders will need to agree to the policies and practices.
Since completion of the Feasibility Study in September 2006, the following key steps have been taken:
- A management structure has been developed for the organization. The project will be managed by a Board which is representative of all stakeholders. The work of the organization will be carried out by a Chief Executive Officer, with staffing as appropriate.
- All participants in the project have been finalized and a Heads of Agreement has been signed by all. This confirms the participation of all key partners in the project.
- Insurance details have been confirmed for the project.
- A funding strategy has been developed to seed the project and assist it achieve operational status. Funding applications are being prepared for:
- The Goldfields Esperance Area Consultative Committee and the Flinders Region Area Consultative Committee for the product elements - course design and installation, and provision of golf club hire sets for each hole.
- The Goldfields Esperance Development Commission for funding of the a range of requirements.
- The Australian Tourist Development Program for branding and marketing elements including signage and promotion.
Further, the Eyre Highway Operators Association has contracted a Project Manager to move the project forward. All required planning has been undertaken, steps have been followed to achieve required approvals, and letters of support have been received. The project is poised for implementation. A number of important project components will be worked on simultaneously to prepare the project for launch in mid-2009. Therefore, construction of the golf holes will progress concurrently with development of the signage and the marketing program.
Who will be involved
The Nullarbor Links is a project which involves collaboration between:
- Four Local Government Authorities - City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Shire of Coolgardie, Shire of Dundas, and Ceduna District Council.
- The managers of the existing golf courses along the route which will be incorporated into Nullarbor Links - Ceduna, Eucla, Norseman, Kambalda and Kalgoorlie.
- The managers/owners of roadhouses along the Eyre Highway which will develop a golf hole for inclusion in Nullarbor Links - Penong, Nundroo, Nullarbor, Border Village, Ecula, Mundrabilla, Madura Pass, Cocklebiddy, Caiguna, Balladonia, Fraser Range.
In addition, the project will need to maintain close contact and co-operation with:
- Tourism WA, SA Tourism Commission and Tourism Australia
- Golfing associations
- Regional tourism boards and associations
Project timetable
Phase 1 - Planning
Phase start date: 1 May 2008
Phase end date: 30 June 2008
- submit application for clearing permit
- engage clearing contractors
- engage surveyors
- End Phase 1 - Progress report to AusIndustry by 21 July 2008
Phase 2 - Preparation
Phase start date: 1 July 2008
Phase end date: 30 September 2008
- undertake surveys
- undertake clearing
- engage branding consultant
- order materials
- End Phase 2 - Progress report to AusIndustry by 21 October 2008
Phase 3 - Construction
Phase start date: 1 October 2008
Phase end date: 31 December 2008
- construct tees and greens
- engage contractor to construct visitor facilities
- engage contractor for signage
- End Phase 3 - Progress report to AusIndustry by 21 January 2009
Phase 4 - Finalisation
Phase start date: 1 January 2009
Phase end date: 31 July 2009
- constructive visitor facilities
- erect Interpretive signage
- erect Tourism (directional) signage
- Mid phase report to AusIndustry by 21 April 2009
- project launch and opening
- End Phase 4 - Progress report to AusIndustry by 21 August 2009
- FINAL and AUDIT report to AusIndustry by 29 September 2009