Demolition work began on the Gulf Harbour Country Club’s buildings yesterday, with the project expected to take a few days to complete.

The demolition comes on the heels of significant fires that recently devastated the club's structures.

Auckland Councillor John Watson expressed his outrage on Facebook, saying, “This is absolutely reprehensible. For months now, people have been saying the next thing that will happen at the abandoned golf club is the building will be burnt down – that happened to the pro-shop on Friday and barely two days later it is the Country Club itself next.”

The local community, particularly members of Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces (KWGS), are deeply affected by the fires and the subsequent demolition.

The group, alongside Gulf Harbour and the wider Whangaparāoa community, mourns the loss of the Gulf Harbour Country Club (GHCC). "We believe these fires have resulted in the total loss of the main clubhouse and associated buildings," a KWGS representative stated.

KWGS has long advocated for the preservation of the golf course, viewing it as a crucial element of the Gulf Harbour community, along with the Gulf Harbour Marina.

They maintain that the golf course remains a viable business and an essential part of the area's original master-planned community.

Despite the fires, the group believes that a new owner could rebuild the clubhouse, which required significant repairs, and create a more suitable facility for the community.

The group continues to lobby both Auckland Council and the government to prevent any residential development on the GHCC land.

The golf course land is protected by a 999-year Green Space encumbrance, a legal restriction that many Gulf Harbour residents relied upon when purchasing their properties.

KWGS argues that this encumbrance must be upheld to preserve the character and green spaces of the area.

As demolition progresses, the future of the Gulf Harbour Country Club site remains uncertain.