A fire at Auckland’s Gulf Harbour Country Club early this morning has seen its golf shop go up in flames.
The Whangaparāoa Peninsula course, which hosted the New Zealand Golf Open in 2005 and 2006, was closed ‘with immediate effect’ in July last year. Residents have vowed to fight the decision.
A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said it received multiple calls to the fire just before 3am.
Firefighters arrived to find a fire at the club’s golf shop. The blaze was put out just before 4am.
A fire investigator will be heading to the scene.
A police spokesperson said it will be working with FENZ investigators to determine the cause of the blaze.
“Police are currently carrying out a scene examination and would encourage anyone with information to contact police.”
A spokesperson for group Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces (KWGS) Howard Baldwin said since being abandoned the club has been vandalised and heavily graffitied. Baldwin said this is because the clubhouse has not been fenced off by the owner.
“It’s degenerated to such an extent that locals are at their wits end as to what can be done.”
The early morning fire on Saturday saw the Gulf Harbour Country Club’s golf shop go up in flames (Source: Greg Taylor and Leon Shouksmith). (Source: Supplied)
The group was formed amid fears developer Greg Olliver wants to use the land for housing. KWGS would like to see Auckland Council uphold an encumbrance on the land that requires it to remain a green space. The group is “keeping an open dialogue” with the council on the matter.
KWGS would also like to see the “beautiful” golf course restored to its “former glory”.
“It’s a sad and sorry thing to have this beautiful golf course, which once hosted international golf, to just see it in ruins,” Baldwin said.
