Some CCV members attended the Australasian Gaming Expo in Sydney and were able to see some interesting club renovations on the CCV Study Tour. Not many have the time to visit other jurisdictions so we thought we’d bring that experience to you via The Hub.

The Sandhills Sports Club is a brand-new greenfield clubhouse in Bargara, the Bundaberg region of North Queensland. It is the second venue for BSPN Architecture’s longstanding client, the Bundaberg Services Club and is designed to complement and highlight the refurbished bowling green and its residential coastal surrounds.

Despite the pandemic requiring construction to be paused at the lockup stage to protect the steel structure from the coastal elements, it wasn’t long before things started again.

What initially started as a refurbishment of their existing clubhouse moved to a new build so that the new clubhouse could better orient toward the bowling green and provide an opportunity to repurpose the existing club for future use.

The new clubhouse structure was built to be raised up and over the low-lying car park, providing seamless integration with the bowling green. Its entry statement was utilised to express this elevation. Stepping into the entry, patrons are met with a tall light-filled open space, opening onto the café and lounge areas and then directly onto the outdoor areas and bowling green, which was to remain the heart of the club. The club encompasses a new Bistro, Café, Lounges and Gaming areas that all flow into one another yet remains uniquely identifiable.

The new club is family-centric to cater to the local community in the surrounding residential area, with children’s entertainment a crucial part of the design brief.

Careful consideration had to be given during the design and construction for the local Mon Repos Turtle population. Most nesting and hatching turtle activities occur at night, making turtles vulnerable to disturbance and disorientation from artificial lights. Considerations such as the amount and colour of the car parking area and bowling green lighting were designed with the local turtle community front of mind.

With a fresh modern coastal aesthetic, glazing was utilised heavily in the club’s design to provide natural outlooks to the bowling green. A low-maintenance exterior featuring masonry screening was essential in the North Queensland coastal environment, with materials selected to endure harsh coastal conditions.

Architects- BSPN Architecture   Photographs – Renee Green   Contractor – Ashley Cooper Construction Pty Ltd