Plans for a billion dollar resort tourism development with an 18-hole Greg Norman designed signature golf course have been unveiled at West Dapto, south of Wollongong today.
The Chinese-backed developers, The Visionary Investment Group, announced that the “Silkari Resort at Avondale” will feature an 18-hole Championship Golf Course and an Australian-first golf academy named in recognition of Australia’s most famous golfing export.
Norman was on site to assist unveil the plans today; a location he said he “fell in love with” ten years ago.
The project, which has been at various stages of design and completion since first being approved in 2011, will now not only feature a championship golf course but will also include a clubhouse, and resort hotel, A high-end spa, tennis centre, the golf academy and a 395 dwelling housing estate on the former coal mine site.
The developer is also in discussion with the University of Wollongong to establish a hospitality school and sports academy on the site.
Although a detailed planning and consultation process will need to be undertaken, the golf course and some of the planned housing subdivision has already gained approval.
The group expects the golf course will be finished by 2019 with early stages of the residential development on sale in Spring 2018.
Despite today’s announcement, there is still expected to be several environmental issues to overcome, including ensuring the proposal meets relevant planning controls.