CluBarham Bowling Green Canopy
Project Details
Location: Barham, NSW
Completion Date: Sept 2022 (Stage 1) / Sept 2024 (Stage 2)
Size: 4100 sqm
Fabric: PTFE - Chukoh FGT800
Client: Barham Services Club
Photography: © Nicholas Brennan @ CluBarham | Skyskills Industries | MakMax Australia
The cluBarham Bowling Green Canopy, affectionately known as The River Dome, is a premier example of a large-span tensile membrane roof designed for lawn bowls. Originally completed in mid-2022, the first-stage PTFE-clad bowling green canopy has now been expanded with a second stage, doubling the covered playing area and reinforcing cluBarham’s status as a top-tier venue for the sport.
The Brief
The initial 1,906 sqm lawn bowls roof was part of a long-term vision to provide year-round playing conditions for cluBarham bowlers. However, almost immediately after completing Stage 1, the cluBarham team decided to accelerate their plans for a second canopy. Completed in September 2024, the Stage 2 extension now covers a second green, bringing the total covered area to an impressive 4,100 sqm.
In addition to doubling the undercover playing space, Stage 2 also includes two small side awnings, providing additional weather protection for players moving between the clubhouse and the undercover greens.
The Concept
The cluBarham Bowling Green Canopy is a MakMax TensoSport-MAX Hawksbill leaning-arch style structure. This distinctive design utilises leaning arches and valley cables to create an architecturally striking undulating profile. The seamless expansion of the second canopy maintains the same innovative design aesthetic, ensuring a cohesive and visually stunning venue.
The Materials
The entire bowls dome is clad in PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) fabric, a high-translucency, long-lasting tensile membrane. PTFE-coated glass fibre fabric is unmatched in its durability and aesthetic appeal, making it an ideal choice for large-scale sports roofing structures like this one.
One of PTFE’s key benefits is its exceptional light transmission—approximately twice that of PVC. This ensures optimal natural lighting on the greens, reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day and contributing to energy savings for the club.
With the project straddling the difficult COVID-19 period of 2020-2021, border closures and lockdowns made the initial stage 1 installation phase especially challenging. When state borders finally reopened in 2022, MakMax’s expert membrane installation partners, Sky Skills Industries and SkyMaze Industries joined forces to complete the job. Check out more installation photos here.
The Result
The expansion of The River Dome has not only improved playing conditions for local bowlers but has also elevated cluBarham’s reputation within the Australian lawn bowls community. With the addition of the second stage, the venue is now set to make an impact on the world stage, having been granted the rights to host the prestigious World Bowls Champion of Champions tournament in both 2025 and 2026.
Read more about this exciting development here: https://clubarham.com.au/2025-world-bowls-champion-of-champions/
The cluBarham Bowling Green Canopy has been a cornerstone of the club’s redevelopment. Reflecting on the transformation, Barham Bowling Club President, Reg Scott, shared his excitement with The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper:
“From old to new, and this new is just fantastic. It’s going to be so good that it is going to blow people away. We’ve had people coming off the street the last couple of days we’ve been open, or they want to join membership socially, we want to be able to play bowls here.”
With its expanded and world-class lawn bowls roof, cluBarham is now firmly positioned as one of the leading bowling venues in Australia.
