Ocean Grove Bowling Club Dome
Project Details
Location: Ocean Grove, VIC
Completion Date: September 2025
Size: 82m x 40m (3240 sqm)
Fabric: PVC - Hiraoka HG212
Client: Ocean Grove Bowling Club
Photography: © MakMax Australia
The Ocean Grove Bowling Club Dome, installed in 2025, has created a premium sporting facility for members and the wider Bellarine Peninsula community in southern Victoria. The canopy, based on the MakMax Loggerhead design, covers two full-size bowling greens and provides year-round, competition-ready playing conditions.
Ocean Grove Bowling Club wanted a canopy that not only provided all-weather protection but also complemented the club’s existing facilities. One of the key requirements was to maintain an open view from the clubhouse, with as few structural columns as possible along that side of the green.
The Brief
Working closely with the club and their project architect, Rubicon Design + Construct, we developed a custom Loggerhead design featuring an ascending edge beam. The canopy rises higher on the clubhouse side, giving the structure a sense of openness while ensuring unobstructed sightlines from the clubrooms. A truss frame was incorporated on this side to provide additional strength, allowing us to reduce the number of supporting columns without compromising structural integrity.
The Loggerhead’s distinctive single-span rafters, supported by diagonal members along the edge beams, create a clean and efficient structural profile. This combination of large-span engineering and thoughtful detailing has delivered a canopy that balances visual impact with functional performance.
The Concept
Early concept artwork helped the club envision the shape and size of the canopy.
The Materials
The canopy membrane was fabricated using Hiraoka HG212 architectural PVC, a premium fabric with enhanced translucency compared to other high-performance PVCs. The result is a light, airy atmosphere under the expansive roof, minimising glare while maximising natural brightness.
Lighting was another important consideration. 50 ceramic LED floodlights, mounted on short twin droppers, provide uniform illumination across both greens. With a competition-grade output of 350 lux, the system ensures the club can host night-time and tournament play at the highest standard.
The Ocean Grove Bowling Club Dome construction phase proceeded smoothly, with MakMax working in close collaboration with Rubicon Design + Construct, the overall project lead, as well as sporting surface specialist, Bioscapes Group, who installed the two brand-new competition-standard synthetic greens. This coordinated approach ensured the project was delivered efficiently and to a high standard.
The Result
“MakMax played a defining role in bringing Ocean Grove Bowling Club’s vision for our undercover bowls facility to life. From concept development, MakMax’s proven record of delivering world-class sporting infrastructure was evident. Their team brought shared ambition and a collaborative approach, working with our Club, project team and stakeholders to develop infrastructure that met an ambitious brief.
Together, we set out to create a bespoke facility that would enhance the experience of our local members, support participation across the region and be equipped to host major national and international events.
Throughout design and construction, MakMax brought expertise, flexibility, and a solutions-focused approach, helping transform our vision into the state-of-the-art facility we enjoy today.
We value MakMax as a trusted partner, helping position Ocean Grove as a leading destination for bowls, community participation and major events, with their commitment extending beyond construction to support Southwest Victoria on the national stage through our Bowls Premier League franchise, the Geelong Jets.” – Nathan O’Neill, CEO Ocean Grove Bowling Club Inc.
Ocean Grove Bowling Club Dome won the follow tensile membrane industry award;
- Winner STA Australian Textile Fabrication Industry Awards 2026
Tension Structures – Greater than 2000sqm
