Flinders View Primary School COLA

Project Summary

• What: A curved roof Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) spanning 34.5m x 22m, built to cover a two basketball and netball courts.
• Who: McMahon Services, engaged on behalf of Ventia under the Department for Education SA's AGFMA program.
• Where: Flinders View Primary School, Port Augusta West, South Australia.
• Outcome: A large scale, engineered shelter that gives students safe, shaded basketball and netball courts in every season.

How does a shelter this size take shape at a working primary school?

Weathersafe designed, engineered, manufactured and constructed the full COLA at Flinders View Primary School, taking the project from concept through to a finished basketball and netball shelter. The frame relies on structural CHS columns paired with curved universal beam rafters, giving the 34.5m x 22m roof its clean, sweeping line without a forest of columns interrupting the court below. Every piece of structural steel was hot dipped galvanised before installation, a finish chosen for its long service life in Port Augusta's exposed conditions. Working through McMahon Services on behalf of Ventia's AGFMA program, our team coordinated the build around the school calendar so classes and sport continued with minimal disruption.

Why was a curved roof chosen for this basketball and netball court?

A curved roofline suits a wide span shelter like this one, shedding water efficiently across the Colorbond® Paperbark roofing and gutters while keeping the 7.5m column height generous enough for competitive netball and basketball play underneath. The curve also softens the visual bulk of a structure this size, so the shelter reads as an asset to the schoolyard rather than an obstruction. Roof access was built into the design from the outset, giving the school a straightforward way to keep gutters and roofing maintained for years to come.

What keeps the shelter safe and low maintenance long term?

Birdproofing and integrated lighting were specified alongside the structure, extending the courts' use into early morning and evening sport while keeping the roof space clear of nesting birds. Combined with the hot dipped galvanised steel frame, these details mean Flinders View Primary School gets a shelter built for decades of SA weather with minimal upkeep. The result is a covered outdoor learning area the whole school community can rely on, rain, hail or shine.