Kialla Golf Club continues long road back to recovery following flood damage

Each member at this small country golf club, a short 15-minute drive south of Shepparton on Central Kialla Rd, understands the history and reason behind why previous club volunteers built up the tee box.

And last October the close-knit community at this much-loved club were given another stark reminder.

When the adjacent Honeysuckle Creek burst its bank during the region’s devastating flood disaster the rusted-on volunteers knew exactly what to do.

Volunteers packed up everything of value and carried, drove and placed it all on top of the raised ground.

This inconspicuous tee box became a haven for the club’s mower, four-wheeler and other important possessions as the flood water engulfed the course.

Almost half-a-century ago, following the region’s record-breaking 1974 flood when members got a boat through the clubhouse, the club organised to upgrade it’s tee box to a height to withstand the next major disaster.

Thankfully, everything that was placed up on the high ground was saved.

However, it would prove a small consolation win.

Some of the club’s machinery received water damage and more than seven months on from that horror weekend, the clubhouse at Kialla Golf Club sits empty, floorboards stripped and unsafe for use.

On this early May afternoon, the skies are grey, but they don’t cast a shadow over the picturesque course nestled alongside the banks of a lowly Honeysuckle Creek.

The course is lush and green.

Some say it’s in its best condition for more than a decade.

Kialla Golf Club’s chairman of course and greens Brian Reiners is out repainting the tee markers in preparation for an upcoming midweek event.

He is jovial and upbeat despite the current challenging predicament facing his golf club.

Memberships have been dealt a hard blow as former members took their clubs and skills to other courses in the region.

Green fees are yet to bounce back to pre-flood level and the club has missed out on hosting previous tournaments that provide an economic boost to help keep the lights on and course in its current gleaming order.

The clubhouse can’t be used until contractors return to patch up the damaged walls and floors.

“The most frustrating aspect is just waiting,” Reiners said.

“Waiting for the people to come and now waiting for the work to be finished. But we have to put it into perspective that not one of our members lost their house ... people in Mooroopna and Rochester lost their homes and they haven’t moved back in yet.

“We’ve got to keep positive.

“The atmosphere is pretty good, it might be a different kettle of fish when the weather turns worse.”

A long road back

Reiners was one of those in the taskforce that rushed out to the golf club on Friday, October 14 to save the valuable items.

The retired school teacher points to a small blue pole that pokes out of the ground about 20m from the clubhouse in between the creek and building.

“In the afternoon on Friday the water was coming up from the creek and it had reached that blue marker. Well, within three hours it was up lapping on the building,” he said as he reflected on that panic-inducing day.

“Early Saturday morning the water came in and it went up about 300mm inside the clubhouse. We couldn’t come out for nearly two weeks (to check the damage) we just weren’t allowed to.

“(When we did) at that stage you’re just looking at soaked floorboards and the course was just squelching, it was so wet and we were unable to play for weeks.”

Although it wasn’t too long before Reiners and his band of volunteers got the course back up and running, the impact of last October’s flood has delivered Kialla Golf Club a heavy blow.

“We’ve lost all those big tournaments, memberships have gone down and green fees are still down lower than they were pre-flood,” Reiners said.

“We’re down 40 members from last year, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but that right there is $16,000 in membership fees.

“Members couldn’t play golf for three months last year. That’s a lot of time of not being able to play and so they went elsewhere and haven’t returned.

“We’ve brought in a few incentives to help entice players ... we’re conscious of the fact no-one was able to play golf for months.”

Pack the clubs and come down

The club is slowly trying to get back on its feet.

It has brought in extra incentives to try and boost playing numbers.

Whether you play nine or 18 holes, it’s a flat rate of $20 in the club’s honesty box system.

A 12-month membership will cost you $300 or if you have a golflink card and are a paying member at another club there’s a special $270 offer on.

Reiners encouraged the public to come down and enjoy a round at the friendly club.

“The main message is Kialla Golf Club is open for business,” he said in his affable manner.

“It’s in very good condition, an old fella comes over from Euroa and he said the course is the best he has seen it in more than eight, 10 years.

“We’re up, we’re running, we’re playing golf and we need your support.”