Q Golf - Official online magazine for Golf Queensland Autumn 2012 | Page 18

“It was not until June that we actually
started to collect green fees again,” said
Jodrell. “The main issue we had was the
loss of around 1000 trees. In order for
the trees to be cleaned up there was a
lot of heavy machinery damage to the
course. Now, 12 months on, just when
we are completing that task, we face the
prospect of ridding the course of another
500 trees which are still standing but have
died as a result of stress caused by winds.
“Many of the courses in our region were
impacted but I would say we suffered
as much as any. We applied for as many
grants as we could find and we did quite
well in that regard. Golf Australia (via Golf
Queensland), RACQ Foundation, QRAA

(Queensland Reconstruction Authority),
the Commonwealth Bank Community
Assistance Programme and an anonymous
donor all helped out in terms of funding.”
Cardwell lost its sole greenkeeper when
the then Cardwell Country Club let the
greenkeeper go at about the time of
Yasi’s arrival but the Golf Club, which
now controls the course, has recently
advertised for a replacement. All labour
since Yasi has therefore been voluntary
including that of the club’s retired former
greenkeeper.
The loss of about 40 club members has
not helped their cause but it is expected
that once the golf course is back up and
running to its full capacity then many of
those will return.
At Tully some 30 kilometres to the north
of Cardwell, the 120 member Tully
Country Club was pretty much in the eye
of the storm and also suffered a battering.
It had been knocked around by Cyclone
Larry five years earlier but that did not
make things any easier.
We lost 30 per cent more trees in Yasi
than we did in Larry,” said the Club’s
President Kevin Pease. “Pretty much all
our native trees were lost this time. We
were able to get back playing within a month
but there were piles of dead trees and

18 Q Golf Online Autumn 2012

www.golfqueensland.org.au

rubbish everywhere and it took us nearly six
months to get it to where it is now.
“Most of our work is done voluntary here.
Not getting a massive grant from the
government or council aid we had to do it
under our own steam. We have just one
person on the golf course maintenance
staff so it was a long hard road.
“We had to hire machinery to get rid of
the big trees that were blown over and to
clean out drains that were flooded. We
applied for every grant that was available
but we received assistance from only Golf
Queensland and a small but welcome
contribution from Royal Queensland also.
Those grants came to us very quickly so
we were pleased with the support they
gave us and the speed of their response.
“In addition to the course damage we had
$800,000 damage done to the clubhouse
but that was all covered by insurance.
We are still completing that work but it
should be finished in a couple of months.
We are pretty much back to normal now
although of course we suffer from floods
every year up here.”
At the Ayr Golf Club south of Townsville,
the course was battered and lost a lot
of trees but thanks to a band of willing
helpers within just a few days they were
back and up and running with nine holes