The positive community impact of the Hamersley Public Golf Course redevelopment has been recognised at the 2025 National Awards for Local Government.

The $20m redevelopment was completed in late 2024 and was headlined by an entertainment-focused two-storey driving range with radar ball-tracking technology, lounge seating and food-and-beverage service.

It also included a new 500-person bar and restaurant, a new pro shop with a WA-first putting simulator and one of the City’s biggest-ever public art projects.

Approximately 265,000 people have visited Hamersley Public Golf Course in the six months since it reopened – a massive increase when compared to the previous average of 100,000 per year.

In addition, golfers hit approximately 1,000,000 balls per month on the driving range – well in excess of the previous annual average of 1.25m.

The success of the redevelopment led to Stirling Leisure–Hamersley Public Golf Course being announced as winner of the ‘Productivity through Infrastructure’ category at the National Awards for Local Government.

This Productivity through Infrastructure award recognises projects in local government which: –

• utilise technological innovations or regulatory changes to improve and develop infrastructure

• consider sustainability, liveability and productivity of a region via investment strategies and planning and takes advantage of region-specific opportunities

• address long-term infrastructure priorities with clear economic productivity and growth benefits

• strengthen and create investment and development opportunities, share resources, build local capability and create jobs

The City of Stirling also picked up two further awards for community engagement and measures to reduce violence against women and children.

Mayor Mark Irwin paid tribute to the efforts of the City’s employees that contributed to the awards success.

“We have some very capable and innovative people at the City who are committed to making a difference in our community,” Mayor Irwin said.

“When you combine that with an Executive Team and Council who back them in and support their ideas, you end up with award-winning projects like this.”

The National Awards for Local Government, now in their 39th year, are run by the Federal Government to celebrate excellence, innovation and impact in projects that can serve as inspiration for other councils.

The 2025 awards attracted 192 entries from across the country, with the winners announced on June 26 at Parliament House in Canberra.