Designing for Community: Resonate’s Role in Aquatic Facilities Across Australia

From Blacktown to Geelong and back to Adelaide, aquatic centres are evolving into more than just places to swim — they’re becoming inclusive spaces for community connection, recreation, and wellness. At Resonate Consultants, we’ve had the privilege of contributing to a number of these forward-thinking developments, helping ensure they sound as good as they look.

Our acoustic expertise supports not just comfort and usability, but also a facilities energy efficiency, sustainability targets, and compliance with increasingly complex environmental and planning requirements.

Here’s a look at three aquatic projects where our team has been making waves.

Blacktown Aquatic Centre – A Key Facility in Western Sydney’s Growth

Currently in design development, the Blacktown Aquatic Centre is being reimagined as a modern, multipurpose space for Western Sydney’s fast-growing population.

This $77 million redevelopment will deliver a refreshed aquatic and recreation facility that includes indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness centre, water play zones, and a café, set within a landscaped park environment.

Our team has been working closely with the designers to ensure that acoustic separation is well-considered from the start, particularly between noise-generating areas like pools and quieter zones such as offices and wellness rooms. We’re also managing external noise emissions from mechanical plant and car park areas, helping the project team meet regulatory approvals and community expectations.

Norlane ARC – A Six-Year Journey to Completion

Known throughout the design phase as the Northern Aquatic and Community Hub (NACH), the now-complete Norlane ARC (Aquatic Recreation Centre) is a game-changer for Geelong’s northern suburbs.

Resonate has been involved in this project since 2018, providing full acoustic consultancy services from early planning through to completion in early 2024. Delivered by the City of Greater Geelong, this major community investment brings together pools, gym facilities, consulting suites, and multipurpose rooms all under one roof.

Given the centre’s wide variety of uses, acoustic separation and reverberation control were key considerations throughout. We helped shape the internal environment to ensure that community rooms and wellness areas remain calm and comfortable, even when adjacent to busy aquatic zones. Our input also extended to environmental noise compliance and advice on achieving points under the project’s Green Star credentials.

It’s always rewarding to be part of a project from the ground up, and to see it open its doors as a welcoming, inclusive place for health and connection.

Adelaide Aquatic Centre – Designing for Sustainability and Wellbeing

In South Australia, we’ve been contributing to the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre, which is currently under development in Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla. This project is set to replace the ageing 1969 facility with a state-of-the-art aquatic and leisure destination focused on participation, accessibility, and sustainability.

With a budget of around $80 million, the centre will include a mix of indoor and outdoor aquatic spaces, a gym, fitness studios, creche, wellness areas and outdoor play. Our involvement spans from master planning and concept design right through to construction review, working with JPE Design Studio and the broader team to embed acoustic performance into every layer of the build.

This includes internal comfort for staff and users, control of mechanical services noise, and strategies to meet environmental noise regulations — all while supporting a future-ready, energy-efficient design.

Looking Ahead

These projects might vary in size and setting, but they all share something in common: a clear commitment to quality community infrastructure. At Resonate, we’re proud to support the delivery of aquatic centres that don’t just look impressive, but also sound right, feel good, and function efficiently. As more councils and communities invest in modern leisure and health facilities, we’re looking forward to helping create spaces that truly support wellbeing, inclusion, and environmental responsibility.

Thinking about your next aquatic project?

We’d love to help. Get in touch with our team to find out how our acoustic consultancy can support your vision.