To those that live the lifestyle dream of escaping north through our ever-changing countryside carting your golf clubs, fishing gear and carefree blissful attitude with you, we’ve comprised a ‘must do’ list of small town, rural and semi-rural hidden gem QLD golf courses and clubs to experience on your travels.
How fortunate we are to live in such a picturesque, wild, rugged, bustling, coastal and deserted country all in one.
A little off the beaten track you’ll find these diamonds in the rough are often among some of the most beautiful settings. Enjoy the charm of relaxed, friendly small town warmth and hospitality along with their fun, challenging and affordable QLD golf courses.
Blackbutt Golf Club
As you head north out of Brisbane treat yourself to a detour to Blackbutt. Just over 2hrs from the city you’ll feel worlds away surrounded by pine forests, the Bunya Mountains, Taromeo Station and Taromeo Camp Ovens. Breathe easier in the crisp air of the ranges.
The Golf Course is carefully maintained and operated by the Members. You’ll find yourself at a superb 9 hole, par 71 course with beautiful mountain views. Social golfers are more than welcome and you can enjoy Member competitions on Saturdays. The bar is open on Weekdays from 4pm and from 11am on the weekends. Golf cart and equipment hire is available.
Visit their facebook page for more info and contact details.
Bundaberg Golf Club
If you’re enjoying the inland route you can continue north along the A3 or head back towards the sunshine coast on a coastal journey north. Either way, you must visit the Bundaberg Golf Club.
Here you’ll find a superb 18 hole championship golf course just five minutes drive from the city of Bundy. You’ll be sharing the course with the friendly locals, like-minded visitors and the odd frill-necked lizard or whistling duck.
Old-fashioned country hospitality ensures that visitors are always welcome; you don’t have to book three weeks ahead to secure a game. Features and facilities include a pro shop, licensed bar, Golf Carts and wide, even fairways along the beautiful par 71 course.
Visit their website for information on the many tiers of full, temporary and social membership options available and take their virtual tour to see the beauty of the course and fantastic facilities for yourself!
Town of 1770 Golf Course
When you’re ready to venture out of Bundy, point your compass in the direction of Agnes Water and the Town of 1770. Located on the magical, sun drenched stretch of sub-tropical surf coastline north of Fraser Island and south of the Whitsundays.
Set on 68 acres the serene course and driving range is surrounded by natural bushland and abundant wildlife. Close to the magnificent coastline of Agnes Water and Town of 1770, you will enjoy a fully irrigated 9 hole Par 34 course with PGA standard greens. Cart, buggy and club hire is available, generally no bookings are required.
Open 7days, there’s a licensed bar and light snacks are available. All visitors are welcome to join the weekly medley golf competitions.
The club offers very reasonable membership fees. Visit the 1770 Golf Course website for more info.
Dysart Golf Club
If you can drag yourself away from 1770, we suggest heading back inland to the charming town of Dysart 340kms NW of Rockhampton. Established primarily as a service centre for the nearby coal mines in 1973, the town has a modest population of around 3,000 and grazing properties in the region rely on it’s services.
The 9 hole par 72 course is 6,166 metres in length and the club is licensed with buggy hire available. One reviewer commented; “I found this course to be one of the most challenging, pleasant and native friendly courses that I have played on for such a small town…Do yourself a favour if you’re near Dysart with your clubs, go have a round, you won’t be disappointed.”
Get in touch with the club on (07) 4958 2378 for more info.
Pioneer Valley Golf Club
As you journey your way up towards Mackay, turn off and treat yourself to the scenic countryside and challenging 18 hole course in Mirani. Open 7days, with several Club competitions, visitors are welcome.
Pioneer valley is a relatively young club and a testament to a community of keen golfers and volunteers in country Queensland who have worked hard to build their own club from the ground up from the 80’s. Enjoy the bar facilities in the spacious clubhouse. Visit their informative website for more info.
Charters Towers Golf Club
While we love the courses at Proserpine, Ayr and Townsville, our next suggestion on your regional QLD golfing list is in Charters Towers, a town with a wealth of history.
It boomed in the gold mining era of 1871 and became the second largest town in QLD. It had it’s own stock exchange and 50+ hotels. Today you can take a journey throught the old gold-crushing mill, visit the Stock Exchange Arcade, The world Theatre, Museums, cottages and Heritage buidlings all remaining from the Gold rush era.
Charters Towers was a virtual ghost town for quite some time; but with extensive revival of parks, gardens, new facilities and it’s rich history it’s a fantastic day (or two) trip destination. Charter’s Towers Golf Club has been part of this renewal and revival.
The club features a 9 hole/18 tee course with a quality clubhouse and range of regular competitions. They welcome visitors and new members to join anytime and hold a range of championships throughout the year.
The course is generally open from dawn to dusk 7 days a week. The only restrictions for public use is when organised competitions are being played. Charters Towers golfers are blessed to have an all weather course that drains quickly and is usually open for play.
Cart, buggy and club hire is available.
Visit their popular facebook page for more info.
Cardwell Golf Club
From here we expect you’ll spend some time enjoying the ranges and many waterfalls, swimming holes and secret camping spots that are on offer. Once you find your way back on the A1 get ready to be dazzled by the beauty of Cardwell, pull up at one of the many caravan parks or accommodation spots, soak in the beautiful ocean, island and mountain views and head to the Golf course.
Located just a few hundred metres from the Bruce Highway and the beachfront, the course is surrounded by pine forest with the Great Dividing Range as the backdrop. With sweeping fairways lined with gum trees, keep a look out for the local wildlife. You’ll find wallabies, red tailed black cockatoos, Cairns birdwing and Ulysses butterflies, kookaburras, sunbirds, goannas, relaxed and/or frustrated golfers and many more native species.
The club welcomes players of all levels and stages and host a wide range of events throughout the year. Whether you are looking for a social round with mates or some serious competition, there are opportunities for everyone to participate every day. The adjoining Cardwell Country Club provides licensed facilities so enjoy a drink before and after your game in The Bunker overlooking the 9/18th green.
Visit the Cardwell golf club website for more info.
El Arish Country Golf Club
You’ll find the historic sleepy town of El Arish just up the highway from Cardwell only 8kms from stunning Mission Beach. Drop in to the historic El Arish Tavern, who welcomes travellers from far and wide who’ve made the trek just to enjoy one of their great meals.
The beautiful golf course is visible from the highway and is a well maintained 9hole 18 tee course featuring a licenced bar. Find out more via their facebook page or website.
Millaa Millaa Golf Club
If you’ve not yet overdosed on picturesque scenery, turn off west as you reach Innisfail to journey through the iconic tablelands and their many stunning villages and towns. On your way you’ll find Millaa Millaa, known as one of the most beautiful places in Australia.
The waterfalls, rainforest, wildlife and extraordinary views make this a magical place to visit. The Golf course is found on the southern end of the Cairns Highlands about 60kms west of Innisfail.
Millaa Millaa Golf Course is a par 70, 9 hole, 18 tee, 5,129M course. It offers natural water hazards, bunkers and trees well placed to test the accuracy of the golfer. Be prepared that this scenic course is not the easy beat it first appears.
The course is abundant with native birds and other wildlife, keep a look out for the rare Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo.
Green Fees $10:00. Club Comps run on Sundays. Visitors are welcome and hire clubs and buggies are available from the Caravan Park next to the course, stay a while and enjoy the sights. Get in touch via their facebook page.
Cooktown Golf Club
As you journey back to North Queensland’s version of the ‘big smoke’ you’ll find all the beautiful courses of Cairns and surrounds easily. That brings us to the last not-so-easy to come across, stunning course on our list, Cooktown Golf Links. Cooktown Golf Club is a 9 hole course with dual tees. Constructed on natural sand belt, the course has been built in the tropical bushland that boarders Walker Bay and the Annan River.
Located beside Monkhouse Point, with the imposing Mount Cook as the constant backdrop, the natural beauty of the surrounds make this links type course a must for golf adventurers and holiday makers alike.
However, there is a challenging catch to all this beauty. This is the most northern golf course on the East Coast, and the wind blows from south east around 20 knots most days. New irrigation systems augment the natural wet season.
Tee boxes, greens and fairways are well presented year round. Hire clubs, buggies and motorised carts are available and there’s a licensed bar and golf shop.
Perhaps best of all, you get a free drop from Echidna holes. Haha.
All golfed out? We doubt it
Sadly that brings us to the end of this list, we could perhaps compile another one for your journey back home as there are several amazing regional courses and hard working clubs that we couldn’t fit in this round.
We love the Queensland lifestyle, sense of humour and laid-back enjoyment of everything the beautiful state has to offer and we know you will also. We’d love your thoughts on these and other fantastic courses/hospitality and experiences you’ve come across in your journeys.
Leave us your comments!
