The website shows lazy kangaroos lolling on the fairways of Federal Golf Course and dozens of ducklings feeding on the grass.
It's the sort of imagery a group of "environmentalists, golfers, local residents and other Canberra citizens" would use to show the green space they're committed to protecting from a development plan for an over-55s village they say will spoil the amenity of the area.
But the Friends of the Federal Fairways (whose acronym FOFF has a certain ring depending on how you say it) has some surprising members, including some who can be linked to an alternative development for the golf course site.
Documents lodged with the ACT government showed the public officer for the new association was Jane Seaborn, a local communications specialist and registered lobbyist whose clients include a local business association and developer Nikias Diamond.
The association was formed in September but its website did not list any committee members' names until mid-December.
Ms Seaborn insisted there was nothing untoward in the initial failure to list the members, arguing the group was opposing the development as local residents or members of the golf club.
Sydney developer MBark has proposed an over-55s village on part of the Red Hill golf course, with 125 homes, including standalone houses and multi-storey unit blocks.
The development application is understood to have been lodged with the ACT government and is expected to soon be open for public comment.
The long-running development plans achieved a significant milestone in mid-2023 when Territory Plan variation 384 was passed.
Despite the plans moving ahead, newly formed association Friends of Federal Fairways believes the proposal can still be stopped.
The association is against all residential development at the golf course and is of the belief the club is not in as significant financial strife as it makes out to be.
It believes there are other ways the golf club can be profitable that don't involve building homes on the land.
"It is clear there is significant community opposition to residential development on Federal, evidenced by petitions and submissions made to the various planning processes," Ms Seaborn said.
"We formed this association to be laser-focused on the matter of the proposed residential development, why it is not necessary, and to provide concerned Canberrans with an avenue to express their views on the development."
A spokesperson for the Federal Golf Club said the board was aware of FOFF and would meet with the group in February.
Links to previous development proposal
Ms Seaborn was first involved in the efforts to stop the development through her connection to developer Dimitri Nikias, who she does communications and lobbying work for.
While Mr Nikias is not a member of the new association, he has previously opposed the development as a local resident.
In 2020, Mr Nikias put forward an alternative development proposal for the club, which proposed a hotel and event venue instead of residential homes.
The group maintains this was not the hostile takeover it was portrayed to be, but an attempt to show the club how it could be profitable without building homes on the site.
The Federal Golf Club spokesperson said it was also their understanding Mr Nikias' proposal was an alternative solution, not a takeover.
Website updated with list of members
Ms Seaborn and the FOFF committee members were not publicly listed on the group's website until a fortnight ago.
The website now lists Sue Bestow, Ian Mackay, Ross McLeod and Michael Smith as members, who are all either club members or local residents.
Mr Mackay was previously the chief executive of the Southern Cross Club, which was also involved in Mr Nikias' alternative development proposal back in 2020.
In a statement, Mr Mackay said he was no longer the club's chief executive and was involved in FOFF as a private individual.
"The Canberra Southern Cross Club has no involvement in Friends of Federal Fairways," Mr Mackay said.
Group claims club finances have been mismanaged
FOFF claims Federal Golf Club's finances have not been managed well and the incurred losses are "a small percentage of total revenues", according to one member's analysis of the club's financial reports.
"In spite of claims by the club's board, the development does not have to happen," the FOFF website claims.
"The club only faces ongoing operating losses if it continues to make poor business decisions."
The group said its objectives were to protect native wildlife that exists on and around the golf course, to preserve the fairways for golf and recreation, prevent residential development and to perpetuate the public right of access to the whole golf courses.
It said it would solely focus on stopping the golf course development, as opposed to local residents' groups which also advocate for other matters.
Federal Golf Club's development plans have caused contention in and between different resident groups over the years.
The government's 2021 engagement report on the Red Hill Integrated Plan noted the Garran Residents' Association and Hughes Residents' Association opposed the plan, while Red Hill Regenerators, ACT Conservation Council, Deakin Residents' Association and Garran and Hughes Residents' Action Group showed support.
FOFF said the over-55s village was not a "done deal".
"For example, the community will have an opportunity to provide their input on the development applications when they are released publicly by ACT Planning," Ms Seaborn said.
