King Island golf course sale a hole in one for Victorian buyers

Tasmanian golf course Ocean Dunes has been sold. Picture: Supplied

ONE of Australia’s finest golf courses has been sold for an undisclosed sum.

Ocean Dunes on King Island — about 214km northwest of Burnie — hit the market last year with a multimillion-dollar asking price.

It has been purchased by a Melbourne-based consortium.

Ocean Dunes board chairman Andrew Mitchell said the consortium intends to develop a new clubhouse and “much needed” accommodation on the course.

“This is great news for Ocean Dunes and King Island as well,” he said.

“The new owners bring vast experience to the project and will expand the already popular golfing destination into one of the premium ‘must do’ golf and leisure hot spots in the country.”

Ocean Dunes.

Mr Mitchell said the board and investors had taken the project as far as they could.

“We are now looking forward to watching the exciting next stage develop,” he said.

While Covid put the tourism industry into a lengthy holding pattern, Mr Mitchell highlighted one positive outcome.

“We have never seen the course in as good a condition as it is now,” he said.

“Ocean Dunes — and King Island — are definitely open for business.

“With hopefully the worst of the impacts of the pandemic behind us, we can look forward for golfers to come and play quality links golf.”

Ocean Dunes.

Ocean Dunes.

The west coast island golf course opened in 2016. It quickly made an impact on the golf world, drawing golfers, tourists and a slew of accolades.

Mr Mitchell said a strict confidentiality clause in the contract meant the sale price and terms of the sale are “not to be disclosed”.

Mid last year, the Mercury reported the Ocean Dunes package was on the market with the course, the business, the King Island Hotel in Currie and 200ha of land backing onto the course all available.

A development application to build 80 accommodation units and 21 motel suites had also been approved and came as part of the deal.

Today, the King Island Hotel remains on the market with Paul Mason Real Estate, the agent who negotiated the sale of the golf course.