Fire destroys clubhouse at Belleknowes Golf Course

Firefighters try to douse the blaze which had already destroyed much of the clubhouse. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

The clubhouse at the Belleknowes Golf Course has been destroyed by a blaze which started just after midnight.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said four appliances were called to the scene at 12.17am and the St Kilda crew has remained at the scene to dampen down any hot spots.

The clubhouse has been left a shell after the blaze.

A fire investigator has been at the scene and will be returning later. the spokeswoman said.

The clubhouse at Belleknowes Golf Club fully ablaze. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Roslyn resident Judith Swan witnessed the ''dramatic'' scene.

She had peered out her window to get one last look of the snow before going to bed, but what she saw was quite the opposite.

The sky was glowing orange and a fire appeared to be raging nearby, she said.

''It was kind of not what you would expect.

''The colour from the fire was lighting up the smoke and the snowy sky — it looked amazingly huge.''

Swan said she could hear ''bangs'' and ''cracks'' from her house.

''It was quite dramatic.''

She and her partner Gordon Speed decided to walk up the road to get a closer look, by which point firefighters had brought the blaze under control, she said.