Polytan delivers high- performance sports precinct for Peninsula Grammar

Through innovative design and construction, Polytan helped transform Peninsula Grammar’s existing sports field into a state-of-the-art athletics and soccer facility. Officially completed in March 2025, the project transformed an underperforming sports field into a high-performance, multi-use precinct designed for year-round use.

Working as head contractor, Polytan managed the project from early site preparation through to the final installation of the athletics track and FIFA-standard soccer pitch. The redevelopment reflected the school’s vision to create facilities that could better support growing sporting programmes while maximising participation opportunities for students.

The previous field had presented several challenges, frequently becoming waterlogged and unable to support full-sized games and training sessions throughout the year. The school sought a solution that would provide students with facilities aligned to both participation and performance goals.

Despite significant site constraints, the project team successfully delivered a six-lane athletics track with integrated long jump and high jump areas alongside a full-size soccer pitch.

Principal Leandra Turner said the project required innovative thinking from the outset.

“The available area wasn’t regulation size and we wanted to retain surrounding buildings and learning spaces,” she explained. “Through creative engineering and design solutions, including substantial retaining walls, we were able to maximise the site footprint and create a facility that delivered exceptional outcomes without compromising the broader campus environment.”

The project took approximately two years from concept to completion, including a detailed planning and design phase.

Manufactured in Melbourne by Polytan’s sister company, APT Asia Pacific, the selected surfaces were chosen for their durability, performance and sustainability credentials. The athletics track featured the Rekortan M system in custom Hertha Blue and Rainbow

Blue finishes, while the soccer field used LigaTurf HB 250 synthetic turf.

Sustainability formed a key part of the project brief. The track system incorporated recycled rubber materials derived from old tyres, while the field used an organic wood-based infill and a shock pad manufactured from repurposed foam materials.

For Polytan Project Engineer Tyran Hodgson, the project highlighted the importance of designing sports facilities that maximise both usability and longevity within school environments.

“Schools are increasingly looking for facilities that maximise usage, minimise maintenance and support long-term sustainability goals,” he said. “This project brought all of those elements together while still delivering an elite-level sporting experience for students.”

Director of Sport Deb Gardner said “The completed facility had transformed how students trained and participated in sport, with the addition of dedicated athletics infrastructure and high-powered sports lighting significantly expanding training and programming opportunities.”

The facility now supports before-school training, evening programmes and greater flexibility for physical education and co-curricular activities, while also strengthening the school’s broader focus on wellbeing and community connection.

For students, the impact was immediate, with many describing the experience of using the new surfaces as feeling “Like professional athletes”.

More than a year on from completion, the Peninsula Grammar project continues to showcase Polytan’s expertise in delivering innovative sports infrastructure solutions that support long-term educational, sporting and community outcomes.

1800 663 812
[email protected]
polytan.com.au