Golfers could be kicked off a public course in Melbourne’s inner-north after 3pm following a decision last night by Darebin Council.

The council is also investigating whether to impose a 3pm curfew for golf, after which time the course could be used for other purposes.

The curfew could be included in the contract for management of the golf course, but the council said it was only looking at options at this stage.

Use of the land became a hot local topic after the course was closed to golfers during the first COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.

The course became a popular spot for walking and picnics, as locals utilised the green space in the absence of flying golf balls.

A campaign grew to permanently open the land to non-golfers, but it faced strong opposition from those who wanted the space retained as a golf course.

Darebin Mayor Lina Messina said the decision was a fair compromise.

“We’ve worked hard to balance our passionate community’s wide range of views with this decision,” she said.

“Not only is it a win for the community but it’s also a win for golfers and it’s a win for entrepreneurs and budding operators to see how they can use the site.”

Ms Messina said the plan approved by the council last night would unlock 5.72 hectares of open space for the wider community.