DROMANA.
A well attended working bee in connection with the new golf links was held the other afternoon, and under the direction of the president of the club, who was a most energetic toiler, a very creditable amount of work was done. Messrs Shaw, of the Kangerong boardinghouse, kindly dispensed refreshments during the afternoon. Needless to say these were highly appreciated by the heavy grafters.

The new links should prove attractive to golfers, as they are conveniently situated in a picturesque spot in one of Mr Gibson's paddocks*, close to the sea shore. The annual meeting of the Dromana Golf Club was held in the hall on Tuesday week, the president (Mr Welling) in the chair. The treasurer submitted last year's balance-sheet,which showed a credit of 13s. 6 d. Mr Welling was re-elected president, Mr G.H.Rogers** secretary and treasurer,and Messrs W. Gibson and A. V.Shaw auditors. (P.5,Mornington Standard, 18-11-1905.)

*In 1910, Walter Gibson was assessed on 447 acres and buildings, 400 acres and 670 acres, all described on being in Kangerong (parish.) Glenholm consisted of only 268 acres. Much of the extra land would have been leased on Clarke's majority portion of the survey where he washed sheep in Sheepwash Creek and straightened the last mile of Dunn's Creek but the 1879 rates seem to indicate that he owned 365 acres exclusive of Glenholm.

In 1919-20,William Gibson was assessed on 659 acres on the survey (exact locations given), while Margaret Gibson (probably Walter's wife, Margaret, nee Purdie)was assessed on 166 acres, c/a 4 section 2, east of Glenholm across Collins Rd. William Gibson had land near post office (N.A.V. 35 pounds and crown allotment 10 section 1, Walter J.Gibson crown allotment 2 section 19, Jessie Gibson 164 acres and buildings c/a 9 and 9a, section 2 (actually section 1,the eastern portion of Glenholm fronting the west side of Collins Rd)and Adam Gibson 116 acres and buildings,c/a 10,section 2 (actually section 1,the western part of Glenholm, consisting of 116 acres and 2 roods, which included today's Rainier Ave and Lombardy Ave sold as the Monaco Estate. Even the critical Cr Terry, who had resigned about a decade earlier because of inadequate description of properties, would have though things had improved by 1919.But without a parish map and knowledge of the location of Glenholm (William Cottier's grants),he would not have noticed that the two parts of Glenholm were incorrectly described as being in section 2 (east of Collins Rd)and that William Gibson was wrongly assessed on the Western part of Glenholm (on which he was was living) because Adam Gibson paid therates on the buildings and the entire 116 acres.

However we are concerned with determining the new golf course site " conveniently situated in a picturesque spot in one of Mr Gibson's paddocks*, close to the sea shore." and the two best possibilities,in light of Melbourne Brindle's map, seem to be :
William Gibson's land near post office (N.A.V. 35 pounds)
and Walter J.Gibson's crown allotment 2 section 19.

finddateofmovetorelocatepostoffice





**Mr Rogers was the teacher at Dromana State School for 12 years until mid 1906,and was very involved in community activities, such as serving as secretary of the Show committee. (See: Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908) Saturday 21 July 1906 p 2 Article.)
His son,Hunter Rodgers, wrote a history of the peninsula in 1961.
The early history of the Mornington Peninsula / by Hunter ...
nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an20139419
Also Titled. Early history of the Mornington Peninsula : Westernport, Frankston, Geelong &​ Queenslcliff. Author. Rogers, Hunter. Edition. 8th ed. Published.

Ewart (Melbourne) Brindle grew up in Dromana between 1904 and 1918 and the power of observation that made him renowned internationally for his illustrations on American magazine covers is displayed in a map of Dromana drawn nearly three decades after he left for America. The map,available from the Dromana Historical Society shows every tee,fairway and green of the first Dromana golf course.

The first tee was on the west side of Arthur St quite near the present George St corner. Arthur St had a slight dogleg to the left and met Palmerstone Avenue slightly more to the east than it does today, possibly because of boggy or rocky ground,and the green was near the present corner. The second fairway ran along Palmerston Avenue stopping just short of Boundary Rd and the third was a short one over today's Boundary and Caldwell Rds. It is unlikely anyone using such streets and roads was in danger of being collected by a topped drive!

The third hole was in the township of Dromana, whose eastern boundary was McCulloch St,with the part of modern Dromana to the east being properly called section 1,Kangerong. The fourth fairway was from just south of Arthurs Seat Rd to the Glenone Avenue corner.The fifth hole went from near the present Rosebud- bound on ramp to near the corner of Foote and Claredon Sts. The sixth was very short but a test of nerves existed in the form of a dry gully. The seventh crossed Heales St to a part of the present schoolground opposite the James St corner, the creek, which provided mudfight fun for the scholars such as Ewart and his sister, requiring a confident pitch onto the green. This hole was Miss Noble's* Waterloo,even from the ladies' tee which was on the east side of Heales St.

The eighth crossed McCulloch St with the green near the midpoint of the length of James St. Jolly Barker's house was at the corner of the non-existent Thomas and Francis Sts; The ninth ,starting near the present freeway went north on the east side of Jolly's house nearly to the bend in George St.

*Despite her bogie hole, Miss Noble was a very good golfer.
Her timing was often astray on the seventh but what about the timing of her trip to England?

Departure of Miss Noble from Dromana.
A very pleasant evening was spent on Monday last to bid farewell to Miss Noble, late matron of the Convalescent
home, ". Airlie, " who left on Wednesday by the " Orvetes," on a pleasure trip to England.(etc.)
(P.2,Mornington Standard, 16-5-1914.)

Miss, Miss, Miss; didn't the matron have a given name? It was probably Edith?
DEATHS. NOBLE.—On the 27th December, Edith Noble, of "Airlie," Dromana, (P.1,Argus,28-12-1918.)

Edith was obviously an independent spinster and may have been living at Dr Weld's

PROPERTY SALES.-The 6-roomed villa known as "Airlie," situated in Palmerston avenue, Dromana, has been purchased by Miss Edith Noble, of Dromana.(P.2,Mornington Standard,18-8-1906.)


OPENING AND CLOSING.
This is the last mention of the original golf course.

DROMANA.
The opening tournament of the Dromana Golf Club was played on 25th ult., for the trophies donated by the Club. The following are the results :-Nine holes. Mixed Foursome-Miss McKewen (McKeown, of the Aringa guest house) and A.V. Shaw (25 handicap, 44 net), Miss Hazeldine and W. Evans(scratch, 47), 2nd; Miss Ritchie and Mr McWilliams (8 handicap, 52 net), 3rd. Twelve pairs competed.

The score of 47 put up by Miss Hazeldine and Mr Evans (the local scratch players) was a great performance, and has reduced the record for a mixed foursome from 52, held by two players from the Riversdale Club, Melbourne.
(P.3, Mornington Standard, 4-7-1914.)

The second and third courses were those of the ROSEBUD COUNTRY GOLF CLUB and the SAFETY BEACH COUNTRY CLUB.

SUMMIT COURSE?
The following seems to indicate that a course was to be built on Arthur's Seat,(perhaps on Seawinds.) This was the only mention of it that I have found. Perhaps the depression stymied their plans.

ARTHURS SEAT ROAD.
Opening Before Christmas.
The continuation of the Arthur's Seat
road at Dromana is being completed, and
it is proposed to have the official opening
before the Christmas holidays. The
tower on the mountain is being repaired,
and a nine hole golf course is being laid
out A rustic kiosk will be built.
(P.13, Argus, 8-10-1929.)

L8888888888888888TER ON.

DROMANA -Nearly 70 acres at Safety Beach has been set aside for a golf course, and a club has been formed under the name of the Dromana Country Golf Club. The designing of the course is left to Mr A. Russell and the links will be open about the middle of December. It will be available to visitors and members alike.
(P.10, Argus,5-9-1930)

DROMANA COUNTRY GOLF CLUB.
New Links at Dromana.
Golfers and others from all parts of the peninsula
attended the opening of the new links of the Dro
mana Country Golf Club. The course, which is
in a rough state is situated at the foot of Mount
Martha, and the nine holes all command beau
tlful views of Port Phillip Bay, Arthur's Seat
and Mount Martha. The nature of the soil and
the layout of the course proved a surprise to the
many golfers. The club is applying for affiliation
with the V.G.A. (P.3, Argus, 22-12-1930.)

There is much more detail about the course in my journal about SAFETY BEACH such as the location of the course and the extant clubhouse which later served as a guest house.

"Between the wars a course was constructed on part of Bean's Safety Beach property.It was thickly studded with clumps of reeds,silver tussocks and bracken fern. After W.W.2 the Bean property began to operate as Locksley Chase Guest House." (P.171, A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.)

The aforementioned journal spills the beans on Mr Bean and the R.A.C.V. speed trials, proceeds from which went to the bush nursing hospital,Lou Carrigg using the course to promote his hotel, and the probable involvement of the McDonalds* of Rye in the last few years of the course.
SAFETY BEACH AND THE SURVEY NEAR DROMANA, VIC., AUST.
by itellya on 2013-02-16 04:45:09. page views: 1206, comments: 3

(*The McDonalds' course at Rye, bounded by Dundas St and Golf Parade, became the Ryelands Estate and was sold by Bill Prentice who drove down every week andparked his car at the end of Lyon St to serve as an office.




SAFETY BEACH COUNTRY CLUB.
Safety Beach Country Club started its life under a different name and as the grand vision of property developer David Deague to create one of the first integrated housing and sports facilities in Victoria.

Following the example of the Gold Coast’s Sanctuary Cove, David planned an estate of some 400 homes intertwined with a nine hole golf course, and boasting a spectacular club house/function centre now known as The Atrium.

Five floodlight tennis courts and a swimming pool between the course and the function centre added more sporting facilities. The Mt Martha Valley Country Club, as it was then named, was for the use of all residents and land owners who were to bel contracted to pay yearly maintenance fees.

During construction more than 1,000 palm trees were transported to the site. Coco palms were sourced from northern New South Wales and Canary Island date Palms from Queensland, all of which led to a very different and stunning look for the locale. Land sales were promoted around Australia and in Asia.

CHANGE OF DIRECTION

Unfortunately the original project was before its time and fell on hard times. Slow land sales meant that income to support maintain and enhance the golf course was not sufficient. To protect their lifestyle a group or residents and estate land owners formed the company Mt Martha Valley Estates Limited which purchased the sporting facilities and the function centre from the developers.

To become viable the club needed to open all facilities to the public; to be competitive with other Mornington Peninsula golf courses and attract golfers, it upgraded the golf course to eighteen holes.

Over a period of two years, and the majority of work being accomplished by the dedicated team of four grounds staff, nine new holes were constructed without interruption of play on the existing nine holes. The original holes were sown with seaside bent and the new greens with Penn links bent. Fairways are sown with fine ryes, all cool season. Some 200 palm trees were relocated to define the new fairways, and over 3,000 native trees and bushes have been planted.

A new club house and ProShop built by volunteers from the Estate blends into the panorama, along with the New Atrium restaurant/convention centre, and the valley resort with its fine accommodation units.
Safety Beach Country Club's Story & History
(safetybeachcountryclub.com.au/our-story/
Safety Beach Country Club started its life as the grand vision of David Deague to create one of the first integrated housing & sports facilities in Victoria.)