New Golf Courses Opening in Australia, 2026
Australia is in the middle of a genuine course building boom, and 2026 is one of its biggest years. A clifftop opening on Kangaroo Island, the country's first purpose built 12 hole course in Sydney, and another wave of building in Tasmania: here is what is actually new, and what it means for a trip.
Photo via Google.
A country still building
While much of the golfing world frets about courses closing, Australia keeps building them. The success of Barnbougle and Cape Wickham proved that world class links land and a remote location could draw golfers from across the planet, and a new generation of developers has taken note. The result is one of the most active course development pipelines anywhere, and 2026 brings several of those projects to a head, from a headline clifftop opening to quieter but significant additions in the cities and in Tasmania.
Below we round up what is genuinely new for 2026: the courses opening their doors, the ones recently completed and ranking already, and the major projects breaking ground that will shape the next few seasons. As ever, opening dates on ambitious new builds can move, so treat any date as a target and confirm before you plan a trip around it.
New Australian courses, 2026 at a glance
| Project | Where | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| The Cliffs | Kangaroo Island, South Australia | Clifftop course by Darius Oliver, targeting an Easter grand opening |
| Newgreens Chatswood | Lower North Shore, Sydney | Billed as Australia's first purpose built 12 hole course, opening to the public |
| Seven Mile Beach | Near Hobart, Tasmania | Full 18 holes opened and a debut in the 2026 national Top 100; a second course in build |
| Arm End | South Arm, Tasmania | Construction set to begin in early 2026 |
| North Adelaide Public | Adelaide, South Australia | Redevelopment with construction expected to start from mid 2026 |
The headliners
The Cliffs, Kangaroo Island
The most visually arresting project of the year is The Cliffs on Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia. Routed by the Australian architect and course writer Darius Oliver along sheer cliffs above the Southern Ocean, it has been one of the most anticipated new courses in the country, promising the kind of raw coastal drama that put Cape Wickham on the map. Reports through the build have pointed to an Easter grand opening, which would make it the standout new course to play in Australia this year.
Newgreens Chatswood, Sydney
A very different kind of new course is arriving in the heart of Sydney. Newgreens Chatswood, on the Lower North Shore, has been billed as Australia's first purpose built 12 hole golf course, a format designed for the time poor urban golfer who wants a real round in under the traditional four hours. Opening to the public in 2026, it is a notable bet on a shorter, more flexible model of the game in a major city, and a useful reminder that not every new course is a remote links pilgrimage.
Tasmania keeps building
Tasmania remains the engine room of Australian golf development. Seven Mile Beach, near Hobart, has opened its full 18 holes and promptly debuted in Golf Australia's 2026 Top 100, with a second course reported to be under construction at the same site. Further work is on the horizon too, with construction of the much anticipated Arm End course on the South Arm peninsula set to begin in early 2026. Between these projects and the established giants at Barnbougle and Cape Wickham, the island's status as a global golf destination only grows.
Our take
For the traveling golfer, the lesson of 2026 is that Australia is no longer a one trip destination. The country is deliberately broadening, with a spectacular clifftop opening on Kangaroo Island, fresh links land near Hobart and even a new short course format in Sydney, all of which give a returning visitor reasons to come back rather than simply repeat the same itinerary. South Australia in particular, with Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide projects, is quietly building a case as a destination in its own right.
Our advice is to treat the new openings as the spine of a wider trip rather than the whole of it. Pair a brand new course with the proven classics nearby, build in the long internal flights that Australian golf demands, and keep your dates flexible until an opening is confirmed. Our Australia destination hub and the best courses in Australia list are the places to anchor the plan, and our team can fold any of these new courses into a trip as they come on line.
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New Australian courses, your questions
What new golf courses are opening in Australia in 2026?
The headline 2026 openings are The Cliffs on Kangaroo Island, a clifftop course by Darius Oliver targeting an Easter grand opening, and Newgreens Chatswood in Sydney, billed as Australia's first purpose built 12 hole course. In Tasmania, Seven Mile Beach has opened its full 18 holes and debuted in the 2026 national rankings, with further building under way.
Where is The Cliffs Kangaroo Island golf course?
The Cliffs is on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, routed along sheer cliffs above the Southern Ocean. Designed by Australian architect and writer Darius Oliver, it has been one of the most anticipated new course projects in the country.
Is Tasmania still adding golf courses?
Yes. Beyond the long established Barnbougle courses and Cape Wickham, Tasmania has opened Seven Mile Beach near Hobart, with a second course in construction there, and work on the Arm End course is set to begin in early 2026. The island remains the most active region in Australian golf development.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. New course projects and 2026 status compiled June 2026 from Australian golf media and development announcements; opening dates are targets and can move. Last reviewed June 2026.