Coonawarra Willam Aquatic Centre – Plenty Campus

The Coonawarra Willam Aquatic Centre at Ivanhoe Grammar School’s Plenty Campus opened in early 2025.

The Coonawarra Willam Aquatic Centre, designed by architects Peddle Thorp, includes The Bamford Family Pool – 25-metre pool and learn-to-swim pool, strength and conditioning gymnasium, beautiful change rooms and facilities, and classrooms designed for our Physical Education and Health and Human Development classes.

The aquatic centre is built with sustainability in mind, including a solar energy system across the large roof span to generate its own power, rainwater collection and recycling to refill the pool when needed, constructed with air tightness requirements to increase the efficiency of heating and cooling, it also has a special vapour barrier membrane on the ceiling and walls around the pool to stop any condensation reaching outside.

Coonawarra Willam means ‘Home of the Swan’ in the Woi-wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people. The name of the aquatic centre was provided by Wurundjeri Elder and holder of knowledge, Aunty Zeta Thomson.
Coonawarra, the swan, is both a water and land animal. It builds its life on two of nature’s elements: earth and water. These elements are symbolic of the activities that will occur daily in this centre, through the pool, classrooms, gymnasium, and surrounding sporting fields.

Ivanhoe Swim will launch at the Aquatic Centre in Term 2.

Ivanhoe Swim is our Learn-to-Swim program available for all ages, including adults. Ivanhoe Swim is open to the Ivanhoe Grammar School community and the general public. You do not have to be a student or parent of the school to join Ivanhoe Swim.
Holiday programs will open during the Easter break and Learn-to-Swim classes will commence from Term 2 2025