The West Dapto site which was supposed to become a $1 billion tourism development linked to golfer Greg Norman has been put up for sale, after the companies which owned the land went in to liquidation.
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The old Huntley Colliery, in Avondale, was to be turned into a golf course designed by the world famous sports star, as well as a hotel, driving range, recreational centre and high-end health spa.
However, these plans are now in limbo after VIG Huntley Golf Pty Ltd and VIG Huntley Pty Ltd - subsidiaries of Visionary Investment Group - went into liquidation in September.
Now, as the companies are wound up, liquidators have placed the 495-hectare land - located at 528-676 Avondale Road - up for sale.
Mr Norman, who the Mercury understands does not have any further interest in the site apart from the golf course design, last visited in 2017.
He was flown in by helicopter to meet with numerous local leaders and Visionary Investment Group's chief executive Michael Guo, for a "groundbreaking ceremony" to mark the start of work at the site.
Then, the golf resort - to be known as "Silkari at Avondale" - was spruiked as a chance to turn Dapto's "amazing landscape" into "the best holiday experience on the planet, ever, period", with the site's architect likening it to the Daintree.
VIG was also in talks with the University of Wollongong about the establishment of a hospitality school and sports academy attached to the resort.
Mr Guo said he hoped the development would become "the pride of the Illawarra" and appeal to Wollongong residents, overseas tourists, "mums and dads and newlyweds and politicians".
As well as the tourism facilities, developers had plans to build hundreds of homes around the site - but only received development approval to build 99 of them after a Land and Environment Court decision last year.
According to MMJ Wollongong, the land sale is a chance for a new developer to "re-engineer" existing development approvals and other council plans "in order to maximise the number of residential allotments and profitability of the project".
They say the "rare" site has the potential for over 360 residential allotments, but that this would be subject to approval.
Expressions of interest in the site are due by October 27.
The land sale is the latest in a long saga for the golf resort, which has been in the planning for well over a decade.
The early stages of the golf lover's paradise have been underway since gaining approval in 2011, with initial plans lodged by former site owners HTT Huntley Heritage owners Ken Tugral and Robert Renshall.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
