Moreton Bay Council Archives - North Lakes Today

North Lakes was built around its golf course. For years, families bought homes with the promise of green fairways, shaded walking paths and the sense that open space would remain at the heart of their community. But with the course closed since 2019 and development proposals returning one after another, residents now find themselves facing a new question: will their suburb be reshaped once again, this time by a commercial driving range?

A new kind of golf

In June 2025, JH Northlakes lodged a development application (DA/2025/3488) for a large-scale driving range on land adjoining Bridgeport Drive, with The Village Retirement Group listed as the client on architectural drawings. Council records list the wider site address as 133 Copeland Drive, the former golf club.

North Lakes Golf — Photo Credit: DA/2025/3488

The proposal is ambitious. Plans show a two-level building with either 60 or 68 bays for golfers to practise their swing, flanked by a pro shop, bar, restaurant, and conference facilities. Out in the open, a chip-and-putt practice area and target greens would stretch across what used to be manicured fairways. Tall safety nets, marked on plans up to RL +51,000, would rise above nearby tree lines to contain stray balls.

Access would come from a new driveway onto Bridgeport Drive. The project also includes 141 car parking spaces, bicycle storage and staff facilities, covering a footprint of more than 5,200 square metres. In effect, the complex would transform a patch of former fairway into a hybrid: part sports facility, part hospitality venue, part events centre.

What the reports say

The developer has backed the application with a suite of technical reports aimed at addressing community concerns.

Report	Prepared By / Date	Key Findings	Mitigation / Recommendations
Acoustic Report	Decibell, July 2025	Noise modelling based on Victoria Park Driving Range. Operations proposed 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. seven days. Potential impacts on residences east of site but within limits of Environmental Protection Policy (Noise) 2019.	Acoustic barriers, building treatments, limit on amplified music at night.
Traffic Impact Assessment	Colliers, May–July 2025	68 driving range bays (two levels) + chip-and-putt. 141 car spaces. Driveway access via Bridgeport Drive. Forecast traffic in 2027 and 2037 manageable; no major intersection upgrades required.	Provide adequate on-site parking, maintain pedestrian and cycle connections, monitor traffic at Discovery Dr/Bridgeport Dr roundabout.
Ecological Assessment Report	Saunders Havill Group, July 2025	Site highly modified from former golf course. No remnant vegetation cleared. Historical koala sightings (2018) and indirect evidence in 2025. Eleven fauna species recorded (mostly urban species).	Vegetation Clearing & Management Plan, Fauna Management Plan, habitat protection measures during works.
Bushfire Management Plan	2025	Site assessed as low to moderate bushfire risk due to modified golf course environment.	Vegetation management, buffer zones, and construction standards consistent with Queensland bushfire guidelines.
Civil Engineering Plans	Bligh Tanner, 2025	Covers drainage, erosion control, retaining walls, and contaminated soil management. Notes nearby koala habitat requiring protection during works.	Erosion and sediment control measures, stormwater drainage design, habitat protection protocols.

A suburb that remembers

For residents, these reports may sound familiar. In 2023, the community was caught up in another battle when plans for aged-care and retirement housing were put forward on the same land. That application was eventually withdrawn after thousands of objections and a council officer’s recommendation to refuse.

Campaigners under the banner of Save North Lakes Golf Course say the new proposal is yet another example of piecemeal development, when the suburb was promised something else entirely. They point to the Mango Hill Infrastructure Development Control Plan, which emphasised a connected and integrated system of open space. They argue that a driving range, however modern, does not meet that test.

The group has already reported thousands of objections lodged with Council and continues to call for more residents to act. Their message is clear: North Lakes was never meant to be carved into individual projects.

Between recreation and recreation business

Not all locals see the proposal the same way. For some, the idea of golf returning to North Lakes—even in a different form—is welcome. With the original 18-hole course gone, they see potential for families, social groups and younger players to enjoy the sport in a more casual and accessible format. Industry outlets have also framed the development as a chance to reintroduce golf in a way that suits modern lifestyles, where people may not have time for a full round but want the option of a quick practice session.

Yet scepticism remains strong. Residents worry about the impact of a commercial-style venue operating late into the night, with lights, noise and car traffic spilling into surrounding streets. They also question whether the development’s function rooms and bar suggest a primary focus on events and entertainment rather than sport.

Whatever the outcome, the debate cuts deeper than just golf. It explores identity, trust, and the evolution of suburbs long after the brochures are printed and homes are sold.

Published 19-Sept-2025

Every morning in Narangba starts the same way for Haley Riches: packing school bags, loading the car, and hoping she won’t hit the rail crossing at the wrong time. But more often than not, she does. Like many locals, she finds herself stuck behind the boom gates, watching train after train pass, while the clock ticks and kids grow restless in the back seat. It’s not unusual for the wait to stretch past 10 minutes. Some days, it happens four times.

“It’s not uncommon to sit waiting for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, just to cross the train line. Multiply that by four trips a day, and it adds up to hours every week lost in our cars,” the mum said.

For Haley—and for hundreds of other families, workers and commuters in this growing Moreton Bay suburb—the crossing at Main Street and Mumford Road, and the nearby one at Burpengary Road and Mackie Road, has become more than just a delay. It’s a daily frustration, and some say, a looming safety hazard.

From Frustration to Action

It was after yet another long wait and another close call at the intersection that Haley decided to do something. In early 2025, she launched a petition asking officials to take action. The request was simple: find a safer, more efficient way for traffic to cross the railway line—whether through an overpass, underpass, or upgraded crossing system.

The response from the community was swift. Signatures started to pour in, and stories from other residents echoed her concerns. Parents juggling school drop-offs, workers trying to get to jobs on time, and visitors who dreaded the delays all backed the cause.

“I’m not an engineer,” Haley said. “But I know this isn’t working—and it hasn’t been for years.”

Narangba Rail Crossing — Photo Credit: Google Maps

A Growing Town, a Growing Problem

New housing estates in Narangba Heights and Kinma Valley are set to add more than 3,000 homes to the area. That’s thousands of new cars, more school traffic, and more pressure on the same old crossings. Moreton Bay has already secured $10.1 million in funding to upgrade the Young Road and Oakey Flat Road intersection, just west of the rail line. That work is due to start later in 2025.

But Haley said the real pressure point remains the crossings—and the people who are stuck at them every single day. In the past, plans for an overpass were reportedly dropped after locals pushed back, but community attitudes may now be shifting.

“The roads are way busier than they were back then,” said one resident on social media. “It’s not just a delay anymore. It’s a risk.”

Taking the Fight to Officials

Her petition quickly gathered traction, leading to a face-to-face meeting with MP Shane King. For nearly two hours, they discussed the rail line, the nearby roads, and how the town’s rapid growth was putting more pressure on old infrastructure.

King said he would take the petition to Parliament and explore state funding options. He also committed to following up on reports that heavy quarry trucks were using Narangba Road illegally, crossing the train lines and adding to congestion. Cr Mark Booth voiced his support too, and Haley is now preparing for meetings with local council representatives, including Acting Cr Tony Latter, to keep the issue moving.

Data, Evidence and Determination

Haley is now collecting dashcam footage and police reports to show just how serious the problem has become. In one rainy week this July, there were already two crashes near the crossing. She’s also had to pay for extra childcare so she can attend meetings—just one of many small sacrifices she’s making to keep the issue on the agenda.

While not everyone agrees on what the fix should be, there is broad support for the idea that something needs to happen soon. Some locals have suggested extending nearby roads or widening key routes. Others point out that with train frequency set to increase thanks to the Cross River Rail project, the delays will only worsen if nothing is done.

Haley said she understands any major upgrade will take years, but believes that’s even more reason to start now.

The Road Ahead

With another round of meetings coming up in early August, Haley hopes to reach at least 3,000 signatures—and maybe more. She said the goal isn’t to push blame or demand the impossible. It’s simply to make sure her town doesn’t get left behind.

“Narangba is growing, and it deserves better,” she said. “I just want to make it safer, and easier, for all of us to get where we need to go.”

THE PETITIOn

Published 25-July-2025

Tag: Moreton Bay Council

North Lakes Faces Another Choice Over its Former Golf Course