Ocean Dunes King Island
One of two world ranked links that put tiny King Island on the golf map, Ocean Dunes runs hard against the wild coast of Bass Strait, a Graeme Grant design of 2016 with several greens perched right above the breaking surf.
Photo: Ocean Dunes Golf Course King Island via Google.
The verdict
King Island, a windswept dot in Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania, has become one of the most talked about golf destinations in the world, and Ocean Dunes is half the reason why. Graeme Grant, a disciple of Alister MacKenzie who learned his craft at Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath, opened it in 2016 right on the rugged western coast, and the result is raw, exposed links golf with the ocean in play on hole after hole.
It plays to par 72 over about 7,037 yards and holds nothing back, with several holes routed onto rocky headlands and greens sitting directly above the surf, including a celebrated par 3 played across an ocean inlet. The wind is relentless and the setting is wild, and for the traveling golfer it is a genuine adventure, paired with neighboring Cape Wickham as a pilgrimage round at the far edge of Australian golf.
Ocean Dunes at a glance
- Opened
- 2016
- Designer
- Graeme Grant
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,037 yds
- Green fee
- From about A$200
Designer, year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the course and Australian golf databases. Ocean Dunes opened in 2016 to a Graeme Grant design, par 72 over about 7,037 yards, or roughly 6,435 meters. Green fees are indicative 2026 rates, around 200 Australian dollars, with seasonal and package variation. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The coast does the talking. Grant routed hole after hole onto the headlands and dunes of the western shore, with greens perched above the surf and tee shots played along the cliff edge, and the signature par 3 carries an ocean inlet with the swell breaking beneath. It is exhilarating, exposed golf where the view and the wind arrive together.
At about 7,037 yards it has length, but the real defense is the weather. Bass Strait wind is constant and changeable, so a low, controlled flight and a willingness to use the firm ground are worth more than power, and the same hole can play utterly differently morning to afternoon.
The turf is firm fescue links, fast and running, and the conditioning has matured well since the course opened. Combined with Cape Wickham at the island's northern tip, Ocean Dunes gives King Island two of the most dramatic links in the southern hemisphere within a short drive of each other.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A public links open to all golfers, with stay and play packages and accommodation on King Island |
| Green fee | Around 200 Australian dollars in 2026, with multi round and stay and play packages available (indicative) |
| Booking | Book directly or through your trip planner; pairing with Cape Wickham and arranging the island flights early is strongly advised |
| On the day | Clubhouse and practice facilities; walking is part of the experience, with carts available, and the weather can change fast so pack for wind |
| Getting there | On the west coast of King Island in Bass Strait, reached by light aircraft from Melbourne or Tasmania, around forty minutes flying |
| Best months | October to April for the longest, mildest days; the links plays year round but the winter brings the strongest Bass Strait weather |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
King Island is small and remote, so most golfers book a stay and play package that gathers the island's accommodation, the flights and rounds at both Ocean Dunes and Cape Wickham into one trip, which is by far the simplest way to reach this far flung corner of Australian golf.
Lodging ranges from the courses' own accommodation to guesthouses and cottages around Currie, the main town, and the island's celebrated produce, cheese, beef and crayfish, makes the evenings as memorable as the golf.
Planning a King Island pilgrimage? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Ocean Dunes.
Build a King Island golf trip
We combine Ocean Dunes and Cape Wickham into one King Island trip, sort the island flights, the lodging and the tee times and cost it to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge handles the rest, with no obligation.
Ocean Dunes questions
Who designed Ocean Dunes on King Island and when did it open?
Ocean Dunes was designed by Graeme Grant and opened in 2016. Grant is an admirer of Alister MacKenzie who worked at Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath, and he routed the course along the wild western coast of King Island.
What is the par and length of Ocean Dunes?
Ocean Dunes plays to par 72 over about 7,037 yards, roughly 6,435 meters, a links laid over rolling dunes and rocky headlands with several greens directly above the ocean.
Can visitors play Ocean Dunes?
Yes. Ocean Dunes is a public links open to all golfers, usually played as part of a King Island stay and play package alongside neighboring Cape Wickham.
How much does it cost to play Ocean Dunes?
Indicative 2026 green fees run around 200 Australian dollars, with multi round and stay and play packages available. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.