RV Lifestyle Village Covered Bowling Green
Project Details
Location: Burnett Heads, QLD
Completion Date: February 2025
Size: 48m x 45m (2146 sqm)
Fabric: PVC - Hiraoka HG212
Client: Rubicon Design + Construct
Photography: © MakMax Australia
As part of the new RV Lifestyle Village Oceanside Resort at Burnett Heads, Queensland, MakMax has delivered a striking covered bowling green that combines lifestyle, sport, and sensitive environmental design. The canopy provides residents with a high-quality leisure facility, protected from the elements, while also taking into account the unique coastal environment.
The Brief
Architect and builder Rubicon Design + Construct engaged MakMax to develop a bowling green canopy concept for the resort’s masterplan. Designed as a lifestyle community, the RV Lifestyle Village includes a range of recreational facilities, with a full-size covered bowling green at its centre. The canopy needed to offer all-weather protection while seamlessly integrating with the adjacent clubhouse.
The Concept
The design is based on the MakMax Flatback Bowling Green Canopy, but customised to meet the resort’s requirements. Vertical infill panels were installed around three sides of the structure for additional sun and weather protection, while the arched end nearest the clubhouse features an extended awning and vertical panels flanking the building’s roofline. Although the canopy is completely free-standing and self-supporting, this customised interface reduces areas where rain and sun could enter, creating a more enclosed and sheltered space.
The Materials
While most MakMax bowling green canopies use an uplighting system, where light reflects off the white membrane roof, the coastal location of Burnett Heads required a different approach. The site sits close to one of Queensland’s most protected turtle nesting beaches, and concerns were raised that uplighting could create a bright, “false full moon” effect that might disorient nesting turtles.
To address this, MakMax collaborated with Empyrean Lighting to develop a turtle-friendly lighting solution. Using Polaris Ceramic High Intensity LED fixtures, the system directs light straight down onto the bowls surface, providing excellent visibility for night play while avoiding excessive glow into the surrounding environment.
The Result
With construction of the wider RV Lifestyle Village Oceanside Resort still underway, the covered bowling green is already a standout feature. The design not only enhances the resort’s leisure offering but also demonstrates how MakMax adapts its canopy systems to suit both client needs and environmental sensitivities. And, with MakMax’s bowling green canopy styles named after Australian turtle species, it is especially fitting that this project incorporated a ‘turtle-friendly’ design.
