Vale – Ray Chalmers

Ray Chalmers was President of the Half Moon Bay Golf Club from 1997-2000.

During his time as President, the Golf Club had a major transformation from a 13 hole golf course to an 18 hole, picturesque, challenging golf course.

The progression to the 18 holes required a number of processes to be completed.

First, an agreement with Cairns Regional Council for the occupation of the former Yorkeys Knob Waste Landfill site had to be obtained.

This was negotiated over a period of time with, not only the Cairns Regional Council, but a number of State Government agencies which had an interest in the transformation of the landfill site to “Golf Couse fairways and greens”. It was, at that time, a pioneering process as the transformation from a landfill site to a golf course had not been carried out, under the current standards.

The property of the landfill site had to ne assigned to the Golf Club and, consequently purchased as freehold title by the Golf Club, after Cairns Regional Council had signed off on the closure of the landfill site.

The property then had to go through a material Change of Use Process, under the Town Planning Scheme, to be used as a Golf Course.

Development of the additional holes and re-development of some existing holes was the next stage. This process involved  negotiation with government agencies due to the location of the golf course.

• On top of a closed landfill site
• Adjacent to the wet lands.

The Golf Club had previously had a master plan for the 18 hole development. Design and tender documents were commissioned and, consequently, tenders were called and successful tender was awarded earthworks contract.

The golf Club had to raise sufficient funding for the development and this process required a restructuring of the entities of the golf club so as banks would consider and eventually provide the funds required to construct the expansion of the golf course.

A reliable water supply, as with every other golf course, was required and after considering the various options, negotiations were commenced with Cairns Water to supply treated effluent water from the Smithfield Treatment Plant to the Golf Club.   These negotiations proved successful and the Golf Club was able to secure sufficient supply of treated effluent water.

The works for the development of the Golf Course to 18 holes was completed in 2000 and Ray Chalmers was President of the Half Moon Bay Golf Club when the 18 hole course was officially opened.

Ray Chalmers, along with other committee members at the time, attended numerous meetings to “drive” the various approvals required for the development of the golf course expansion.  It was a challenge not easily accomplished in a condensed time frame, and consequently the construction of the golf course works, and current members who enjoy the playing conditions of the Half Moon Bay Golf Club are fortunate to have had people like Ray Chalmers” unrewarded efforts representing their sporting interests.

Well done, Ray Chalmers

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