A 34-year-old man has been charged following a recent attack of vandalism on the Dunedoo Sports Club that has brought members of the community to tears.
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Police allege at approximately 8pm on Tuesday, April 27, a man drove a tractor towing a disc plough to the club's golf course.
The accused then used the machinery to plough the majority of the fairways and greens, resulting in extensive damage.
The man drove the tractor from the scene, leaving the hydraulic disc plough behind.
Dunedoo Sports Club's president, Mark Gallagher, first heard of the destruction in the early hours of April 28 when the club's general manager, Ricky Bush brought the attack to his attention.
"I was actually on my way to work at about 6.30am and Ricky rang and asked me if I knew. He said 'the course has been ploughed up', I said 'you're joking, aren't you?' So he sent me a picture," Mark said.
The attack comes shortly after the grounds were praised by those who regularly use the course, citing it to have been of 'prestigious' quality.
"The course was looking a picture, the elderly folk who have been playing on it for years said they hadn't played the course in such a prestigious condition, it was unbelievable," Mark said.
"At this stage, you can't even walk on it. It's deep, it was done with an old Ferguson plough.
"It's a big blow because golf is an outlet for us. It kicked off for us during COVID-19 last year, we got a lot of new members.
"Not being able to do this has left a big whole in our club and our community. There have been quite a few people who look at the devastation and burst into tears, they're grown men."
Given the amount of damage, the cost to repair the site is unknown at this stage.
"I wouldn't like to cost it out, it's torn up all the irrigation, the greens, the grass - where do you start? The list just goes on...everything takes time," Mark said.
"We've had great support from people saying they're willing to bring their tractors to help, people who don't even have anything to do with the club but they realise the club is the backbone of our community.
"We're actually pleased he burst the hose on the machine, he could've done our whole course which takes in our cricket pitch, our touch football ovals, where we hold our 'Tunes on the Turf'. It's just mind-boggling, it blows you away."
Police arrested the 34-year-old on a property on Ballinda Road, north of Dunedoo, at approximately 9am on Wednesday, April 28 where two unregistered firearms were seized.
The man was taken to Dunedoo Police Station, where he was charged with:
- Destroy or damage property
- Use etc offensive weapon w/i to commit indictable offence
- Enter enclosed non-agricultural lands interfere etc business
- Use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on road, and
- Possess unauthorised firearm.
"I wouldn't like to say anything to him, I just hope that he's well and his family are well. I feel for him and his family very much so at this stage, I'm more upset for them than for our course," Mark added.
"The Dunedoo community is very strong. We've been through the Sir Ivan fire, then we had a severe drought, everyone seems to band together and I'm sure we'll band together again to get our beloved golf course back on track."
The man appeared before Mudgee Local Court on Wednesday, April 28, where he was granted conditional bail to reappear before the same court on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Dunedoo Golf Club have established a GoFundMe page to assist with the club's rebuilding effort.
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